Evening star., 1941-05-13

when the Rome-Berlin Axis was
being formed.
Hess and Hitler were together
in the beer hall at Munich in 1889
when an attempt was made to
assassinate the leader by explosion
of time bomb. But both had left
the hall ahead of scheduled time
and thus escaped.
1t was Hess who delivered the
funeral Grafton over those killed
in that explosion, with Hitler stand
ing by with wreath. Tears of
JOY" he said, have been shed all
over Germany at the miracle that
our leader has been spared from
harm"
At Nazi anniversaries, Hess fire.
quently administered the oath to
new members-"I swear to Adolf
Hitler an unbreakable fealty and
unquestioned obedience" Then he
would add in a grim voice: Woe to
any one breaking this oath, for he
shall be cast out from society"
Presided at Functions.
As Hitler's emissary, he presided
over many functions and often made
public announcements in the name
of the leader. In 1888, in Christ
mas message, he announced that
Hitler had established a new decora-
tion-the German Mothers Gross
of Honor, to be conferred upon pro-
life mothers.
During the campaign against Po-
land he said the Nazi party would
sponsor the children Of war
fathers" In a letter to a girl whose
young man had been killed in Po-
land, leaving her about to become
mother, he wrote:
During war especially, which so
often means death for the best men,
every new life is of extraordinary
importance to the nation; hence, if
young soldiers fall on behalf of the
fatherland, who for some reason or
other could not marry and who leave
children behind, the state will take
care of this national treasure"
He presided at the ceremonies
opening the 400-mile canal system
which links the Rhine and the Oder.
He neither drank nor smoked. He
was married in Munich July 20, 1927,
to Ilse, daughter of DR.. Fritz Proehl
Of the medical corps of the German
Army, and son was born on Armis-
tice Day, November II, 1887.
Known as "Incorruptible."
1t was at the beginning of the
war, September /, 1899, when Ger
many invaded Poland, that Hitler
told the Reichstag: Should some
thing happen to me during the
battle, my successor will be Party
Leader Goering. Should something
happen to Goering, his successor
will be Hess. You shall be duty
bound to them as you have been
to me. Should something happen
to Hess, I will have the Senate
called. which will choose the
worthiest."
There was no German Senate at
that time. Nor is there one now.
There was speculation at the time
that Hitler might create one, but
he has not done so.
Hess official title was deputy
fuehrer for party affairs"
Hess was known in Germany as
"incorruptible." Unlike Goering and
other leaders who enriched them
selves while serving the state, Hess
accumulated no fortune. He lived
an almost ascetic life.
He could be cold and cruel when
the occasion demanded, but not even
his enemies ever charged him with
being grasping or prof1ting at the
expense of the people.
He not only refrained from drink
ing alcohol or smoking, but, like
Hitler, Hess was a vegetarian. He
usually went bareheaded, and he
took Spartan pleasure in with
standing alike blazing heat and
biting cold.
Never Gave Up Religion.
Hess, unlike most of the little
group of Hitler's lieutenants, had
mystic side He never gave up his
religion, despite the attempt of the
Nazis to establish an ancient Teuton
paganism and despite the persecu-
tion of all Christian faiths. Hess
frequently mentioned God in his
speeches, and only a few months
ago he gave the people a prayer in
which he said:
Almighty God! You gave us Der
Fuehrer. You blessed his battle
with a past victory. You gave him
power to create and defend a new,
great and free Germany. Now give
us power to help him to the limit OF
oslr abilities by fighting and work.