The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-02
Offices of President and
Chancellor Are Merged
by Nazi Party.
ARMY PLEDGES LOYALTY
Former House Painter Now
Rules as Kaiser
of Nation.
BY FREDERICK OECHSNER
United Press STAFF Correspondent


BERLIN, Aug. 2. = Adolf
Hitler, former Austrian house
painter, became sole dictator
of the German people today
on the death of President Paul
Won Hindenburg.
Hitler's cabinet made him
president-chancellor, absorb
ing all the powers of both
Offices. He has control of the
powerful reichswehr (army)
whose members are to take an
oath of answering loyalty to
him.
Hitler thus has greater sway than
any dictator on earth. Even Mus
solini has king who outranks him,
albeit with little authority,
Hitler is expected to seek Office
for life as reich leader for the Ger
man nation and people" A ref
erendum will be held between Aug,
10 and 26 for the people to ratify
his aScendancy. The exact date has
not been set, although it will be not
later than the 26th and possibly as
early as the 10Th.
The Observation-Disclosures bold
assumption of power was consid-
cred a decisive blow at potential OPP
position, whether of "reactionary'
or Nazi extremist character.
The conviction was general that
only revolution could upset him
but there is no organization in Ger
many at present inclined to start
one, or strong enough to do so.
Extremists Still Weak
The Nazi extremists are. not
strong enough to do harm. The
June 30 "purging" demonstrated
their weakness. The army was ex-
pected to use it's influence with
Hitler to obtain new measures
against the extremists if they should
start trouble.
Hitler will speak to the nation on
Monday at services for Won Hin
denburg at the Knoll opera house
here. Then he will fly to Neudeck
and may speak there. Won Hin
denburg will be buried Tuesday in
the Tannenberg battle monument
at Tannenberg, not far from Neu-
deck.
When the announcement came
that Hitler was leader at last, with
out the stubborn hand of linden
burg to oppose him when old and
new clashed, householders and por-
tiers were just bringing out their
black flags or Nazi flags draped in
crepe.
The flags on public buildings were
half stated.
The huge swatikas and the black,
white and red flag, on the Reichstag
building dropped on their poles in
the quiet air.
Reichswehr Swears Loyalty
An oath binding the reichswehr
to absolute loyalty to Hitler as COM
mander-in-chi was promulgated at
once. 1t will be taken by every Ger
man soldier.
General Werner Won Blomberg
minister of defense, proclaimed the
order that each soldier must pledge
absolute loyalty to the death, to
Hitler.
The text of the oath is:
I swear by God this holy oath:
That I will give unqualified
obedience to the leader of the Ger
man government and the German
people, Adolf Hitler, as com
mander-in-chief of the army, and
that as a courageous soldier am
ready at any time to place my life
at stake for this oath"
1t had been admitted that the
reichswehr. which was under Hin
denburg as comander-in and
to a man was for him, could have
crushed Naziism.
1t was significant therefore that
Blomberg in the poSt-mortem proc
lamation to the reichswehr said:
Our grief is mingled with pride
that he was one of ours. His
example will forever admonish us to
devote our lives to the fatherland
Remembering this heroic figure
We march into the future full of
confidence in the fuehrer, Adolf
Hitler"
1t was Hindenburg's epitaph and
Hitler's commission as commander
in-chief.
1t was, no less than in monarchy
where sorrow for a dead king must
be tempered with anticipation of
the new, a case Of The king is
dead. Long live the king"
Not a Thought for Kaiser
There was apparent confirmation
of the belief that Hitler would
reign supreme and that there could
be little open opposition to his as
sumption of a post which kaiSers
alone have held in the past.
There seemed not thought for
old Wilhelm II at Doom, the for
mer emperor, who ordered out the
German army while Hitler was
hanging wall paper twenty years
ago.
Undoubtedly Hindenburg has many
followers who will support Hitler
with less enthusiasm-the Junkers or
great landowners. the industrialists
and the high reichswehr officers.
These are all expert intriguers. but
it seemed not a moment for in
trigue.
It was impossible to tell, toward
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