Evening star., 1934-07-14

-
noticeable sign Of remedy or even the
slightest response 10 my demand for
explanations. In the months Of April
and May these complaints increased
untnterruptedly. During these months
l for the first time received reports.
supplemented by documentary EVIL
dence. about conferences being held
by individual higher Storm Troop
leaders which could be labeled moth
ing else than gross" insubordina-
ton" For the first time 1t was un-
mistakably proved in several cases
that IN these conferences references
were made 10 the necessity OF new
revolution and that leaders had re-
ceived orders TO prepare for such
new revolution spiritually and ma
terially.
Chief Of staff Roehm tried to deny
the reality Of all these happenings
and declared them TO be yeiled at
taeks upon the Storm Troops. When
in individual cases evidence OF those
involved was brought, these witnesses
suffered the severest maltreatment,
although they mostly came from the
As early as the end OF April the
leadership OF the party as well as
number Of organs of the state affected
realized clearly that certain groups
OF higher storm Troop leaders were
contributing toward
Storm Troopers from party
as well as from other institutions OF
the state. or that at least they did
not prevent this alienation.
Ali attempts TO secure remedy
along the normal course of service
remained without result. Chief OF
Staff Roehm again and again per-
sonally promised me to examine
these cases and remove or discipline
those guilty. Visible change. how
ever, did not take place 80
/ therefore always insisted that
higher demands be made OF Nazi
leaders with regard to their conduct
and public behavior than upon other
compatriots. He who desires to win
higher respect must meet these re-
quirements with higher achievements.
Must Set Good Example.
The most primitive thing that can
be demanded of him is that he set no
disgraceful example by his life be-
fore the world.
These differences led to a very
earnest conversation between the
chief OF staff and myself in the
course whereof for the first time
doubts arose in my mind concerning
the loyalty OF this man after l had
re ejected every such thought for many
months and after had previously for
years protected this man with my per-
son in unshakable faithful conrad
ship Warnings now began gradually
to fill me with apprehension which,
with the best OF will, l was unable
to rid myself Of. These warnings
were especially uttered by my deputy
In party leadership. Rudolf Hess.
Since May there could no longer
be any doubht that Chief of STAFF
Roehm had engaged in ambitious
plans which, II carried into effect,
could only lead to the most serious
commissions.
New Facts Brought to Light.
II I, during these months, hesitated
again and again 10 make a tlnal de-
cision 1t was for two reasons. Firstly,
/ could not readily reconcile myself
TO the thought that q relationship
which I believed was built on loyalty
should turn out delusion. Second
ly, I still had q secret hope that the
movement and my Storm Troopers
might be spared the shame of such
conflict and that harm might be
avoided without the Severest clash.
But by the end of May increasingly
grave facts were brought to light.
Chief of Staff Roehm began to
estrange himself from the party not
only inwardly but also in his entire
outward life.
1t was not only terrible that he,
himself, and the circle devoted to him,
broke all laws of decency and sim
plicity, but it was even worse that
this poison now began to spread In
ever -enlarging circles.
Gradually there developed three
groups OF leadership of the Storm
Troops: One group OF elements held
together by common abnormality who.
capable of every kind OF action, were
blindly in the hands OF Chief of Staff
Roehm.
These were principally Storm Troop
Leaders Ernst OF Berlin, Heines of
SileSis. Hayn of Saxony and Heyde-
breck OF Pomerania. Besides these
there was q second group of Storm
Troop leaders not really identified
ofr b,,f al IN,
soldierly duty bound to obey Chief Of
Staff Roehm.
Plotted With Won Schleicher.
Over against these there was a third
group of leaders who did not conceal
their inner repulsion and aversion,
some of whom for that reason had
been removed from responsible posts,
while others had been deliberately cast
aside and in many instances simply
ignored Heading these old Storm
Troop leaders, which were in disfavor
owing to their innate decency. were
the present Chief of Staff Lutte and
Special Guard Leader Himmler.
Without ever informing me and
without my even as much as having
an inkling Of it, Chief of Staff Roehm
entered into relations with Gen.
Schleicher through the mediation of
a thoroughly corrupt montebank, Herr
Won A..
Gen. Schleicher was the man who
gave outward expression to the in
nermoSt wish OF Chief of Staff Roehm.
1t was he who concretely put into
language and defended the concep-
tiOn that firstly, the present Ger
man regime was untenable; that,
Secondly above all the Reichswehr
and all patriotic societies must be
concentrated in one hand; that,
thirdly, that the only man destined
to this task could be none other than
Chief of Staff Roehm; that, fourthly,
Herr Won Papen must be removed
and he (Schleicher) would be ready
to take the position of vice chancellor.
Fulfilment Of these proposals by
Gen, Won Schleicher had necessarily
to meet opposition on my part, which
could never be overcome as regards
point two. 1t would never have been
possible for me either factually or
humanity to give consent TO a change
in the ReichSwehr ministry and I'LL