Evening star., 1940-01-15
Leadership System
Is Real Democracy,
Dr.Ley Believes
Absolute Loyalty Also
busis Of Germun
System, He Says
Nv LOTHROP STODDARD.

have just interviewed a man who
has some 100000, 900 Reichsmarks a
year to spend on his official activi-
ties. That is lot Of money. At
the regular exchange rates that
is equivalent to $2500O0,000.
His name is DR.. Robert Ley. He's
the man who runs the labor front,
including strength through JOY
trips. Furthermore, he is the Or
ganization leader of the National
Socialist party.
A big, hearty man, he is the
son of a peasant, and proud of 1t.
Yet he is also a scholar with a
university doctors degree. In the
World War he served as an avia-
tor with fine record. He Joined
the National Socialist party in the
early days and played prom
inent part in it's history. He has
been a close collaboration with Adolf
Hitler for many years.
He is a man of wide experience.
capable of doing many things at
once.
Cnatted Tor over hour.
DR.. Ley received me in his i'm
pressive office, which is decorated
in the best taste. After greeting
me cordially he said, TITS late
afternoon. How about a cup of
tea?"
Thereupon he threw open door
and invited me into charmingly
cozy room with table already set.
In this restful atmosphere we had
tea. cakes and sandwiches, and
chatted informally for well over an
hour.
Or Ley" began, "for months I
have been studying closely and in
some detail the various organiza-
tions you direct. I have learned a
lot. but somehow I feel have not
quite grasped the whole picture.
Will you explain briefly the basic
principles underlying all of them?
And will you also explain the rela-
tions of the various organizations
both to the party and to the State?"
The doctor slipped tea ref1ectively
'Let's see how I could best put it,"
he began. "As to our basic ideas,
they are simple. First of all the
principle of natural leadership. BY
this we mean the proved leader, who
by sheer merit has fought his way
up from below to supreme command.
This is best exemplified by Adolf
Hitler, our Fuehrer-the German
word for leader. We, of course, be-
lieve him to be an inspired genius
Loyalty Second Principle.
BY this time DR.. Ley was fairly
warmed up to his subject Enthu-
siasm shone in his gray eyes.
Our second basic principle" he
continued, lis absolute loyalty. So
long as a plan is under discussion
1t is carefully weighed from every
angle, but once the debate is closed
and a decision made every one gets
behind it 100 per cent. The basis
of everything is what we call
"Gemeinschaft'- organic unity
OF a people founded on identity of
blood. Germany is fortunate in
being racially united. That is the
ultimate secret of our harmonious
strength"
Thanks for the explanation" I
said. Nov would you mind going
on and telling me how, on those
foundations, you have built up the
various organizations you direct
and how they stand toward the
party and the state?'
Before I do that" DR.. Ley an
swered, "let me make clear what
the party and state mean to each
other. The National Socialist party
may be likened to a motor which
supplies energy by which an elabo-
rate machine is run. Its duty is
to pioneer, investigate and make
everything safe. The state then
occupies the ground won and puts
everything in final order. One OF
the outstanding features of the
Third Reich is that the party can
and does make all sorts of expert
ments which would be impossible
for state officials, tied down as they
are by legal regulations and red
tape"
Would you mind making that a
bit more specific, doctor?" I inter-
rupted.
Has Boundless Freedom.
"All right" he said. Take me
for instance. I am not state
official. I am purely a party leader
whose duty it is to prepare tht
social order and set it going
Within my field I have almost
boundless freedom of action. Fol
example, when the Fuehrer ordered
me to put through the peoples au.
tomobile plan got the large sum-
needed. OF course, I am hele
rigidly responsible for the results
If 1 botched job I would be callet
to account the very next day. But
so long as things go right I don
have to waste my time in explain
ing to all sorts of people just whar
I am doing. With us it is efficiency
that counts"
do your experiments alway.
succeed?" asked.
Not always" answered DR.. Ley
"And when after a full and fail
trial they are found impracticabl'
we frankly give them up. Some
times we find a measure theoreti.
cally sound, but for one reason o.
another premature. In that cas-
we lay it aside to be tried again
under more favorable circumstances
But when an experiment is provet
sound and workable the party pres
emily hands it over to the state
which then, as 1t were, anchors i
firmly into national life by givint
It permanent legal status. That i.