Evening star., 1934-07-22
Won PAPEN Is ENGINEER
OF HITLER'S DESTRUCTION
COering and COebbeIs, His Two Faith
full Followers, Used by Reaction
aries TO Gain Control.

lAAhh Nuii lAAFlA WIN ulNitl0H
is unuueStioned. But his plotting" was
against the reactionaries. He wanted
To be ready to take over. In conjunc-
ton with Capt. Roehm and others. In
case Hitler crumbled Won Schleicher,
though a former chancellor and ex-
defense minister and ReichSwehr COM
mander. had nothing in common
either with Gen. Goering or Won
Papen. He could have escaped abroad
with ex-Chancellor Bruning a few days
before the cleanup" had he so de-
sired, but he dismissed all suggestions
with the remark, "They do not dare 10
touch me-" He had not counted on
Gen. Goering's gangsters.
Whether Hitler goes through with
his promise to Thyssen and Won Hin
denburg land. some say, to the
FrenchI to diSband the S. A. (Sturm-
truppen) or not, 1t is evident that the
esprit de corps of that once-powerful
organization is shattered. LeaderleSS,
with the supreme storm detachment
staff dissolved and most Of its officers
dead. the various groups do not know
where to turn. The new group leaders
have made many examples" and the
average storm trooper is now glad TO
get out from under the brown shirt.
Once that was an open scsame-a
badge which enabled him to solicit
funds, terrify shopkeepers and do
much as he pleased.
Not All Supporters.
II gave many Communists free meal
tickets and a comfortable place TO
sleep. although deep in their inner
consciousness they cherished the ham,
mer and sickle rather than the swas-
tika emblem. Until he was designated
as Capt. Roehm's successor, Comdr.
Victor Lutte was almost an unknown.
To suppose he will be able to reorgan-
lie the troopers and rekindle their for
mer enthusiasm and fanatic fervor Is
permissible. but almost preposterous.
1t is in the S. S.. or Gen. Goering's
personal bodyguards, that Hitler's only
hope lies in breaking the grip which
the Reichswehr has over him. But
Goering is not anxious to break that
grip-for Hitler. 1t would interfere
with his succession plans" Eventu-
ally the fight may narrow down TO
Hitler and the Reichswehr prompt
ers" and Goering and his S. S. troops
and secret service organization. The
Reichswehr has the organization and
arms, but the S. S-which doubles
the 100000 regular army in nuahers--
is formidable unit. With iCs rival.
the s. A., out OF the picture, II may
easily become more arrogant than the
Fascist Black Shirt Militia OF Musso-
lini Besides, Gen. Goering holds the
air force of Germany in his palm, and
that alone can become a dangerous
weapon, either against Hitler or the
Won Papen group. While Goering
stands strong with the monarchists
and the industrialsts and many land
owners and ex-aristocracy, he is q
bitter enemy of Won Papen. The feuo
is personal. however, and may be ar
ranged. Goering is said to have hao
Won Papen, as well as his associate,
Won Tschirsky, on the list Of those 10
be shot. His men succeeded In remov-
ing only Won Bose, the propaganda
secretary of Won Papen, and his pri-
vate secretary, Edgar Yung, from the
scene.
His threat, uttered at the Leipzig
trial, when Torgler was acquitted, that
If the court did not do its duty he per-
sonally would see that Torgler was
taken care of, also seems to have been
fulfilled-unless 1t really is true that
Torgler died a natural death" In
prison.
Backed by Two Enemies.
While Hitler now keeps the outward
appearance of holding power, behind
him move Won Papen and Gen. Goer-
ing-two implacable enemies. And
behind them stands Gems, Won Fritsch
the real power behind the throne
and Won Hammerstein, and Gen. Won
Blomberg, rulers Of the Reichswehr.
And behind the Reichswehr have al
ways been-at least thus far, the in
dustrialists of the Ruhr, Saar and
Rhineland and the Berlin capitalists.
In the offing, however, still remain
the disillusioned and resentful Ger
man masses. Again the watchword
Is heard:
"Fuhrer, Fuhrer give us bread, lest
tomorrow we turn red"
And the answer that Is being given
them is:
"Heute rot? morgen tot" Today
red?-tomorrow deadl'
The ignorance of the general public
in Berlin, and also in the provincial
capitals. Of what has happened and
is happening, is abysmal. News
these days travels by word OF mouth
in Germany Every time a story Is re-
peated 1t is exaggerated. Finally lt
becomes fantastic. Mysticism seems
ingrained in the German character.
They believe anything.
That is, almost anything. In cred
ulity the limit perhaps has been
reached by the utter obviousness OF
the Nad press in telling half-truths.
The people are still being told that
the country was threatened by civil
war. yet there never was any evidence
of it before the "cleap-up." They
are asked to believe that counter
revolution, with the overthrow OF
their demi-god, Fuhrer Hitler, would
have broken out all over Germany
on Saturday had not Hitler and Goer-
ing moved silently and relentlessly on
Friday night. Yet they know that
Group Leader Ernst was preparing
to sail for the MADEIRA Islands on a
vacation. Capt. Roehm was on sick
leave and in bed when captured, Gen.
Won Schleicher was working in his
flower beds and the terrible HeineS
was indulging his sadistic instincts
Gf Goebbels' Official communique is
true).
News Received Abroad.
For many months informed Ger
mans have gotten their news on what
is happening, both inside Germany
and outside, through the Swiss, Au-
strian and Czechoslovakian news
papers, all of which are printed in
German. The French and English
newspapers also have built up a tre-
mendous circulation in the Reich But
after publication of Won Papen's War
burg address, in which he warned the
Na1 against over-reaching them
selves. criticized the anti Catholic and
anti-Jew prosecutions, and made
other observations the big Swiss news