The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-05-29
ZZZZZZZ.Z.ZZ.Z.
Hess Known for Loyalty 4
To Hitler, Nazi Germany /
Was to Succeed Goering as Nations leader;
Washington Legislators Closely Study
Letters From Constituents.
BY BAUKHAGE
National Farm and Home Hour Commentator
(WNU Service, 1343 H Street,
Washington, d. c.

(WNU Service, 1343 II Street,
Washington, d. c.
WASHINGTON.-It's a mad world
these days and Washington is a
i nervous corner of it.
Outside the iron pickets which sur
round the White House, human pick
cts walked. Their banners protested
against conveys, against sending
American soldiers abroad to fight.
Soldiers who may be sent abroad
to fight charged the protesting pick
cts, knocked down the men, pushed
the women around. Home-returning
theater-goers stopped to cheer the
soldiers.
On Capitol Hill mail protesting
against conveys poured in.
That afternoon Washington was
stunned to hear that a young farmer
in Scotland helped a German officer
who had just dropped from the
skies, into his cottage and gave him
a glass of water. The officer was
Hitler's trusted lieutenant, Rudolf
Hess, and the news of his sensa-
tional flight dropped into the midst
of the Washington melee, to make
confusion worse COMPOUNDED.
The fighting pickets, Hess in the
headlines, pushed history back for
me Pickets were attacked in front
of the White House at the beginning
of World War l. l saw Hitler lay
the accolade of succession to Nazi
leadership upon Hess the day World
War II began.
Some of the fighting pickets of 1914
are staid grandmothers today.
HESS PARTY LEADER
If you had asked me, in 1889 when
I was broadcasting from Berlin, who
of all men in the Nazi party would
be the least likely to desert its lead
er I would have said Hess. He was
not a striking figure, he did not pa
rade in the brilliant uniforms of Herr
Goering, he did not make the fiery
speeches of Herr Goebbels. But he
was the real head of the party, the
inside man. And so when he sud-
denly turned up in Britain, I could
not believe that he was there except
to be about his leaders business.
I can see Hess that day in Berlin.
1t was a solemn sight, the hurriedly
called meeting Of the Reichstag If
September, 1899. There may have
been many in Germany then who
still hoped that Britain and France
would not fight for Poland. Hitler
had promised he would gain his
ends without shedding German
blood. The bitter memory of the last
war, the starvation, the defeat, the
humiliation were still sharp in the
memories of the people. Then they
had had no victories to cheer them.
Hitler himself was pale and worn
when he walked into the Knoll OPP
era house where the Reichstag
meets. His speech was restrained.
he seemed to me like a man who
had made his will and said his pray
ers. He spoke almost APOLOGIZE
cally, said his greatest desire was
to be the Reich's first soldier. Then
he announced that he was going to
the front, land" he added, "if any
thing happens to me in battle, Party
comrade Goering will be my sue
~cessor." Goering, in a gaudy uni
form, on his high pedestal, saluted.
The crowd cheered.
Then Hitler turned to the right,
where the tall, lanky Hess was seat.
ed on the stage in his simple brown
uniform. And if anything happens
to Comrade Goering. Comrade Hess
will be his successor" The crowd
cheered. Hess rose deliberately,
looked at his chief and saluted.
I could think only of a great. well.
trained and faithful St. Bernard
slowly and obediently answering his
masters whistle.
1t is hard to believe that this man
would desert his master. Hess was
fervent. He may not have been as
religious as his frequent calls upon
the Almighty may have indicated,
but he had a fanatical devotion to
Germany. His loyalty to Hitler from
the earliest contact with the Fuehr-
er-to-be was based on a great faith
on a belief that Hitler, and Hitler
alone, would ave Germany.
Legislators Study
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