Evening star., 1939-09-24

| dlgn IN Cne German hlerarchy one
must place the champagne salesman
who married the boss daughter, Joachim
Won Ribbentrop. Loathed by orthodox
diplomats, Won Ribbentrop has neverthe-
less achieved the most astonishing diplo-
matte coup Of recent years. It was Won
Ribbentrop who offended the British
when he was Ambassador to London by
greeting the King at formal reception
with the Nazi salute. In London, how
ever, he succeeded in winning numerous
adherents to the Nazi cause, including
peers and peefesses at whose country
homes he frequently was a guest.
Since he left London to become foreign
minister, this smooth, youngish-looking
man OF 46 has been ceaselessly active.
Working closely with Hitler and standing
at the Fuehrer's right hand during the
crises of the past few years, he has flown
all over the continent of Europe to build
Germany's diplomatic fences. Whether
1t was Hitler or his foreign minister who
initiated the Soviet-Nazi negotiations,
no little credit goes to Won Ribbentrop
for this most dazzling of all German tri-
umphs. Like virtually every one else in
Hltler's government, Ribbentrop is
product of World War I. He came out
with two Iron Crosses.
Funk the Financial Wizard.
| One of the most difficult jobs in the
defense council is that of Walther Funk
who must manipulate German finance to
maintain at least semblance of SOL
vency. Funk succeeded to the job when
Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht could
not keep pace with the swift changes
precipitated by the Nazis. Schacht is
still minister without portfolio in the
| government. There were many who
thought that Funk would inevitably fail
If the wizardry of Schacht was not
! enough. the argument went then surely
this amateur could do nothing But
| Funk has performed miracles of Jug
| glery. He was greatly aided, of course
| by the gold and resources that came
to Germany when Czecho-Slovakia was
partitioned. And Poland may provide
other fortuitous prizes
Wilhelm Frick also has a highly i'm
portant post in the council He is
charged with maintaining order and
morale among the civilian population
Frick's right hand is Heinrich Himmler
whose name has connotations of terror
for all but the Nazi elite. Hmmler
acting under orders from Frick and
with the direct tutelage of Hitler, set
up the dreaded Gestapo, The Himmler-
F'rick system of espionage extends into
every phase of German life. It is closely
inter-related with other Nazi organiza-
tions and vast amount of informa-
ton is filtered through the Gestapo
sieve.
Heinrich hammers is scarcely known
at all, even in Germany. Nevertheless
he is an essential to Mr. Fix-It at the
chancellery. His function is to trans
late orders from above, chiefly orders
from Hitler, into action. hammers serves
as a kind of liaison between the gods
at the top and the mere mortals who
must carry out their commands. His
position corresponds to that of Lord
Hankey, secretary to the British cab
met.
Keitel is the only military man on the
| defense council, and he is there as an
intermediary between the dictatorship
and the technicians who must do the
fighting. Completely in the German mill
tary tradition, Keitel comes from Thu
ringia. He climbed the military ladder
the hard way during the former World
War, and today is recognized as one of
the most brilliant strategists in any
country, master Of the blitzkreig tech
Nique. The performance that he and his
chief of staff, Brauchitsch, put on in
Poland has amazed military experts. In
reality Keitel is minister of defense, a
cabinet post which has not been filled
since Won Blomberg's forced retirement.
Won Brauchitsch Brilliant General.
Stamped out of the same metal is Won
Brauchitsch. Like Keitel, he has Stunned
publicity and any connection with poll
tics. Born in Berlin So years ago he
gradually won a reputation as a COM
petent commanding officer. Today he is
ranked as one of the most brilliant
field generals of our time.
Again like Keitel he is close to Hitler
and frequently advises him on military
affairs He has given Hitler as head
OF the state unquestioned loyalty.
The shake-up Of February, 1898, that
overturned Won Blomberg advanced
Brauchitsch to command of the German
Army, succeeding Gen. Won Fritsch. On
the infrequent occasions when he is
compelled to speak in public he talks in
terse military phraseology. These mill
tary men who have gone through the
gruelling competition of the German sys-
tenn, plus the grim trial of the last World
War, are almost like a separate genus
of the human race, quite immune from
the joys and sorrows Of ordinary human
beings. They are like the separate SOL
dier species developed in the insect world,
notably among the ants.
Rather closer to the human species, L.
lustrating at least many human foibles
and passions, is DR.. Paul Joseph Goeb-
bels, mininster Of national enlightenment
and propaganda. Rumors from neutral
countries that Goebbels had been ''uqui-
dated" were dissipated last week when