Evening star., 1938-03-20

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" hanger and is now the ruler
4 of 100000 people.
He defies the world
He builds an empire across the pro-
tests of the biggest powers on the
| globe, and finds nothing in his path
but talk
How does he do it?
of the most amazing strategists in
history.
His overnight dissolution of the
| Austrian nation is but one example
| of his astuteneSs in maneuvering
across the chessboard of world politics.
Surprise is one of his biggest
weapons.
He made his first startling use of
it during the World War, as a dis
patch runner for a Bavarian regi-
ment.
Captured French Detachment.
He and another dispatch bearer
were alone on the front in 1915. when
they heard a detachment of French
soldiers coming out of the ruins of a
building.
Shouting to an imaginary platoon
to follow them. Hitler and his pal
jumped into the cellar and called
on the foe to surrender
Out came lieutenant and 20 men.
hands in the air, guns on the ground
behind them.
Three years later Hitler worked
the same bluff again. this time single
handed. He captured a French dug
out.
In neither case did he use violence.
He only threatened to use 1t.
His success was prophetic.
Two Violent Steps.
The two false steps in his climb to
political power were violent steps:
l. His beer cellar 'putsch" in Mu-
Mich, which ended with the death of
his henchmen and his own imprison-
ment in 1923.
2. The assassination of Chancellor
Engelbert Dollfuss of Austria by Hit
ler's Nazi followers in Vienna in 1884.
For the rest, he only threatened vio-
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For he timed his moves like genius.
Everything he did was expected long
before it happened.
His plans we're international ru-
mors, and other nations discussed in
advance what they would do ''if."
But Hitler never acted while the
world was poised in readiness. He
bided his time, then struck.
None to Stop Him.
Every nation that could have stopped
him when he renounced the Versailles
treaty and openly began rearmament
of Germany in 1885 was tangled up
in troubles of its own at the hour he
chose to move.
Italy, which had forestalled Ger
man intervention in Austria by send
ing soldiers through the Brenner Pass
after Dollfuss' death the year before,
had her hands full now with the Ethi-
opian venture.
England had hinted her unwilling
ness to fight some time before by let
ting it be known she favored German
release from the arms restrictions Of
Versailles If Hitler would sign an arms
pact.
France was torn internally by the
political aftermath of the Stavisky
scandal An attempt to copy Ameri-
cas- IN. r. A." was meeting strong
opposition. Fascists were stirring up
trouble. And the cabinet had a tax
strike on its hands.
Russia was busy negotiating with
Japan over Manchukuoan border in
cidents.
So Hitler calmly announced that
the treaty of Versailles no longer ap-
piled, and that he planned to quadru-
pie his army. The world grumbled,
but did nothing.
Struck Twice More.
Before the other powers could re-
cover from that blow he struck twice
more In rapid succession.
He announced, through his right
hand man, Hermann Goering, that
Germany had An air force.
Then, using Japan's remuneration of
the 5-5-3 ratio of the last World
Naval Conference as a curb, he sent
emissaries to England and negotiated
an agreement whereby he increased
his sea power.
This time the other nations did not