Evening star., 1935-01-27

N YEXT wednesday National So
N cialiSt Germany celebrates the
" second anniversary of Adolf
4 Hitler's chancellorship. This
event marks the halfway mark
of the four-year period that Hitler
had asked for to carry out his plans.
Two weeks ago the Saar Valley. which
for Is years has been under the rule
of the League of Nations, voted by a
large majority to join the German
Reich, of which it was part until
1920 This seems. therefore, a spe-
cially fitting moment to inquire into
the record of the NaI rule.
What is Hitler's position in the
Reich? How much of the Nazi pro-
gram have he and his associates &C
complished? Is Germany better off
now than she was two years ago? Is
the Hitler regime a success or a
failure?
The Saar plebiscite was a powerful
tonic to the Third Reich Of the Nazis,
and every bit of its publicity value is
being fully exploited. From the point
of view of results, it makes little diff
ference that without Hitler the pro-
German vote would have been about
10 per cent higher. or that the citi-
zens of the Saar voted for Germany
and not for the National Socialists.
This was free election under the
auspices of the League of Nations,
and If the Saarlanders' horror of the
Hitler rule had been overwhelming
they could have expressed it at the
polls.
Alignment Unchanged.
While the Saars decision strength
ened the National Socialist govern
ment. it has not altered radically the
alignment of forces in the Reich. In
the last few months Hitlers position
has changed perceptibly. While he is
still the living Buddha of the Nazi
movement, his personal influence is
on the wane AS to the system he
embodieS, it has alienated the SYM
pathies which the German regime
had gained. On the other hand, in
the domestic field of politics the Nazi
rule is absolute, not only in fact, but
also In name. since the death of
Marshal Won Hindenburg last Sum-
mer. Nevertheless, the restrictions it
has imposed upon itself in favor of
the armed force of the ReichSwehr
and of the remnants of the wealthy
class reveal the strong power of sur
viving Junker traditions.
While Hitler's Third Reich takes
credit for having merged the dis
united German states and parties into
a country united in body and soul,
more critical opinion indicts it for
having opened the way to religious
controversies and to an underground
opposition of the most bitter kind.
In the economic field the govern
ment has stretched available work op-
portunities at the expense of the
standard of the population. At the
same time it is trying to live up to
its name by reconciling a crude form
of socialism with some features of
the most unrestrained capitalism of
past generations.
HitIer's Glory Waning.
Turning to details. we find that
while two years ago Hitler was Ger
many's most dynamic force, today
he is vanishing into the dim recesses
OF a national shrine He has neither
the ability nor the steady nerves
needed for a reign of craftsmanship
now that the Reich seems to be ap-
preaching the point of saturation of
demagogy. His psychopathic nature,
which had helped him to the top,
is not equal to the task of organiz-
ing victory
Hitler's present position may be best
realized by comparing it with that of
Italy's dictator. When Signor Mus
solini seized power he was an agitator
and journalist, but in no way spe-
cialist on economic and financial prob
lens. At the helm, however, he has
revealed remarkable aptitude for
grasping such problems and devising
their solutions so that today he is an
absolute dictator. carrying the entire
burden Of government on his shoul-
ders.
Herr Hitler. on the other hand, has
not grown with his increased RESPONSE
bilities. AS Germany's Pied Piper he
had aroused millions to ecstasies of
patriotism, but he does not know ex-
actly what to do with thea ecstasies.
He reached the peak by popularizing
some obvious truth and less obvious
half-truths which others had ex-
planned to him; but now that even
Germany's parrot shrek his slogans
he seems to have lost most OF his ad-
vantages. His is not a creative mind
or one that can grasp weighty prob
lens. His weakness was revealed In
countless campaign speeches in which
he stuck to safe generalitieS, seldom
venturing into the treacherous field of
concrete ideas. Since he is not him
self money-minded, the reports of his
ministers about financial questions,
budgets, trade balances and registered
marks make his eyelids heavy with the
desire for quiet slumber.
AS he is unable to grasp the prob
lens that are in the forefront of prac-
tical life, he also Is unable to keep his
finger on Germany's pulse. Hence the
necessity of delegating power to host
of sub -dictators, among whom DR..
banks of the Potomac is a wonderful