Evening star., 1934-07-14

reich.''
justified only by revolution. AT this
place. and for those who live at pres
ent and those who live after us, must,
/ however. declare that these men no
longer had any right to rest their
faith on national Socialism as
"weltanSchauung."
Can't Imagine Result.
Their lives had become miserable as
/ lives of those whom we overcame and
whose places we had taken in 1888.
The attitude and bearing OF these
men had made it impossible for me to
| invite them to my home or enter the
Berlin house of the chief Of staff even
1 a single time. What would have be-
/ come of Germany in the event OF VIC
tory of this sect is hard to imagine.
The greatness OF the danger was
| really proved by information that now
had reached Germany from abroad.
English and French newspapers be-
gan more and more frequently to
| speak of the coming revolution in
/ Germany, and ever more items re-
/ yealed the fact that plotters had
undertaken work upon foreign coun-
| tries along the lines that in Germany
| the revolution Of real National So
cialists was impending and that the
existing regime was no longer able TO
act.
| Gen. von Bredow, who as foreign
political agent OF Gen. Won Schleicher
/ looked after these connections, worked
/ in accordance with the activity of
those reactionary circles who. pos
sibly without being directly connected
with the plot, permitted themselves to
be misused as ready subterranean go
betweens with foreign countries.
therefore determined at the end OF
June to put q stop to this impossible
| development and that, too. before the
blood OF tens of thousands Of inno-
cents was to seal the catastrophe.
AS the danger and tension upon all
was fast becoming unbearable and as
certain party centers and state Qffices
had to take defensive measures II was
their duty, the peculiar lengthening
of the service before the Storm Troop
vacation seemed questionable pro-
ceeding to me, and therefore de-
cided Saturday, June 30, TO dismiss
the staff chief from his office, take
him for the time being into custody
and arrest a number Of Storm Troop
leaders whose crimes we're clearly
proved.
AS it was doubtful whether Reehm,
in view of the acute situation, would
come to Berlin or elsewhere. decided
to proceed myself to the leaders con-
ference at Wiessee. Building upon
the authority of my person and my
power Of determined action, which
has never deserted me in case Of need,
I intended to dismiss the chief Of stan
at IL O'Clock midday, arrest the chief
| eulprits among the Storm Troop lead
ers and recall the others to their duty
by urgent appeal.
In the course of June 20 I received
such threatening news concerning
their last preparations for action that
I was compelled at noon to break OF
my visit to the labor camps at West
phalia in order to be ready in any
case At m received two alarm
ing news reports of the most urgent
kind from Berlin and Munich.
Revolt About to Begin.
Firstly, that a state of alarm had
been ordered for Berlin for pm,
that for the transportation of the real
shock formations a requisition OF mo-
tor lorries had been ordered and was
already in progress and that at pm.
action was to begin by seizing gov
ernment buildings.
Group Leader Ernst had for this
reason not gone to Wiessee. but had
remained behind in order personally
| to conduct action in Berlin.
| Secondly, the alarming of the Storm
| Troops in Munich had already been
ordered for 9 pm. The Storm Troop
formations were not permitted to go
home, but were sent to their alarm
quarters That was mutiny. for the
commander of the Storm Troops is
myself and nobody else.
| Under these circumstances there
could for me be but one resolve. II
disaster was to be averted, action had
to be taken with lightning rapid
ity. Only a merciless bloody stroke
could perhaps smother the spreading
revolt. Better that q hundred mutt
neers, conspirators and plotters per-
iSh than that 10000 harmless Storm
Troop men. 10000 equally harmless
citizens on the other side should pour
out their blood.
For, If the criminal Ernst's action
had been allowed to start In Berlin,
/ the consequences would have been un-
thinkable.
How the play with my name worked
was shown by the alarming fact that
these mutineers succeeded in Berlin
by using my name to obtain from un-
SuSpecting police officers four armored
cars, and Heines and Hayn had made
police officers OF Saxony and Silesia
waver by calling them to decide be-
tween Storm Troops and anti-Hitler-
ties in the coming clash. Thus, 1t
became clear to me that only one man
could and should face the staff chief.
He broke his faith with me and /
alone could call him to account.
AT l am. received the last alarm
ing dispatches, at am. new TO
Munich. Premier Goering had mean
while already received orders from me
in advance. In the event Of action for
publication. his part was to take an
alogous measures in Berlin and Prus-
sia. With an iron fist he beat back
the attack upon the National Social
ist state before it fairly got started.
Few Men at Disposal.
The necessity of this lightning like
action carried in its wake the fact
that at this decisive hour only very
few men were at my disposal. In the
presence OF Minister Goebbels and the
new chief Of staff. action Of which
you know was then carried through