The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-18
WORLDS EYES
ARE PINNED ON
GERMAN VOTE
Hitler Has Lots to Lose,
Nothing to Gain, SimmS
Points Out.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINIMS
Scripps- Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18.-Wash-
ington and other world capitals to-
morrow will watch Adolf Hitlers
strange plebiscite as just another
theatrical gesture on the part OF the
amazing mana gesture which set
ties nothing and changes little,
either inside or outside of Germany.
BY a coup d'etat, liberal use Of
the firing squad and the death of
Field MARSHALL President Won Hin
denburg, Hitler already has elected
himself as the all-highest Of the
third reich. The voting tomorrow
theoretically is designed to demon
strate popular approval. No other
issue is before the German people.
Such being the case it is regarded
as significant that his crucial speech
at Hamburg last night, a speech
which, it is estimated, was heard by
at least 100000 of the 100000
voters, specifically warned his list
eners on two points:
First, he said, Criticism has no
vital function" any longer in Ger
many, and, second, that any attempt
to disturb or overthrow the Nazi
state-and he has characterized
himself as the Nazi state-would be
met by instant retaliation.
He Has Plenty to Lose
Nevertheless and notwithstand-
ing, Herr Hitler has considerable to
lose and nothing to gain, at least
morally, in tomorrows plebisctte.
When he withdrew from the League
of Nations and the disarmament
conference last year he called ref
erendum and received a vote of ap-
proximately 100000.
Tomorrow Hitler must receive at
least that many votes of approval
to pass the test. If he receives less
it will be of the utmost significance.
For never have the instruments of
propaganda, the Nazi, radio and
public rostrum been more intense
ly used than to round up the votes.
Every German voter now has ample
cause to know that Hitler puts them
all into categories-those for him
and his enemies.
If Hitler receives more than 40.=
100000 votes, under existing condi-
tons, it will mean nothing. 1t is
only to be expected.
In European capitals the impress
sion in gaining that the plebiscite
was staged largely to exploit to the
full Hindenburg's political tesla
ment, which, in effect, willed the
reich to Hitler. In no other way
could it have been dramatized so
effectively. And after the murders
of last June, the slipping Nazi
Fuehrer needed the support of the
dead hand of the late hero.
Authenticity Questioned
But today the authenticity of the
Hindenburg testament is being
questioned. British, French and
other newspapers abroad stress its
strange phrasing, the delay in
making it public and the unprece-
denied conditions under which its
contents we're made known to the
people.
Authentic or not, Hitler can not
abide by it 100 per cent and forever
remain German dictator. linden
burg frankly nailed to the mast the
flag of his faith in the monarchy,
and indicated just as clearly that
Chancellor Hitler should be only the
stepping stone to that destiny.
Hitler himself in his last appeal
to the German nation reiterated his
pledge that there shall never be
another president of the reich. Only
Hindenburg should have that honor.
Perhaps Hitler plans to play re-
gent as we'll as dictator pending a
new deal in Germany.