Evening star., 1939-10-02
Writer Says Germans
Would Like 10 See
GoebbeIs Deposed
Hitler Aide Termed
Unpopular, but Adroit
In Saving His Job
By G. WARD PRICE.

BY u. WAKD fhlCE.
LONDON, Oct. 2 (NAN.A).-If
DR.. Joseph Goebbels really should
lose his iob-as has been rumored
on several occasions recently-the
German people will feel almost as
much satisfaction as the British.
He is the one member OF the Nazi
hierarchy who is widely disliked
In Germany.
For a long time he had the ear
of Hitler, lunching or dining with
him daily. His influence with the
Fuehrer was strengthened by Hit
ler's fondness for Goebbels' wife
and children, who were often with
him, and provided him with that
atmosphere of domesticity which,
In some of his moods, Hitler ap-
preciateS.
The impisil minister Of propa-
ganda himself played the part OF
one of those court testers to whose
impudence medieval monarchs al
lowed much license until they went
too far, when their usual fate was
the dungeon or the whipping post.
This curious, haggard little man
with the club foot had developed,
like his predecessors in cap-and-
bells, an uncanny instinct for avoid
ing danger. His adroitness in
changing sides and playing off one
Nazi leader against another has
often saved him in the past.
Abuses Foreign Writers.
have had less to do with DR..
Goebbels than with the other lead
ing figures of the Reich. The min
lister of propaganda was not source
from which one was likely to get
much insight into the real facts
of the German situation and his
public abuse of all foreign cor
respondents in Berlin was so often
sive as to make personal contact
undesirable.
In one of his broadcast speeches
he said that they filled their news
papers with the dirt from under
their fingernails.'
Even German listeners protested.
"How can we bring up our children
to talk decently when they hear
a minister on the wireless using
such coarse language?" they COM
planned.
have twice, however, had DR..
Goebbels as my neighbor at formal
luncheons, when Hitler and. other
members of the government were
present, and on those occasions his
ironical conversation was entertain
ing. Whenever I have met him in
public he has been quite cordial.
Conversation Witty.
Writing of him in 1887, said:
''Dr. Goebbels is one of the few
leading personalities in Germany
who are always smiling, though it
would be wrong to conclude that his
mood is invariably benign.
THE vitality that nature denied
to his physique by making him a
cripple she put into his eyes. They
are dark, lively, observant and i'm
pressive. In private, his talk is a
constant flow Of witty, bantering
comment on world affairs"
Among the propaganda minister's
qualities must b. reckoned untiring
industry and personal courage. AS
gauleiter of Berlin before the party
came to power, he would hold meet
ings in the toughest Communist
quarters, and no man who was
ready to face Red mob in the
Berlin of those days can be sus-
pected of lacking pluck.
~, 4, -
Rhine1and in 1897, and educated at
Catholic schools. With the aid of
church funds he studied at various
universities, and took his degree as
doctor Of philosophy at Heidelberg
in 1921.
After spending some time in a
chemical works, believe as labora-
tory assistant, he became associated
with the Nazi party, and in 1924
edited a small local newspaper at
Elberfeld belonging to the move
ment.
Was Aid of Hitler Rival.
In his early days, Dr. Goebbels at
tached himself to a chief who was
ultimately to prove Hitler's rival for
lllc ACdOCI oXllp VI Vic PAL W, dllu VIII
paid the penalty by being executed
in the Nazi purge" of June 30, 1884.
This man, Gregor Strasser, was
originally responsible for the Ma
tional-Socialist campaign in North
Germany, and DR.. Goebbels had be-
come his lieutenant in Berlin. In
1926 differences arose between
StraSser and Hitler. The Fuehrer
brought about a Showdown" and
DR.. Goebbels quick wit perceived
that Hitler was the stronger man.
He accordingly changed sides, and
has since owed his position in the
party to the personal protection of
the Fuehrer.
1t is possible that this protection
may be withdrawn. For him it must
have been a day of foreboding when,
on August 80, Hitler created special
ministerial council for Reich de-
fense," presided over by DR.. Goebbels'
formidable foe, Marshal Goering.