Evening star., 1941-05-13
Bad News for Hitler
May Have Forced
Hess 10 Flee
Fuehrer's Deputy Was
In Close Touch With
Party Rank and FiIe

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forced to flee Germany because hi
gave Fuehrer Hitler unpleasant new!
of conditions among the rank ano
file Of the Nazi party was suggested
in informed diplomatic sources here
today.
Known for his dog-like devotion
and loyalty to Hitler, for many years
Hess had the duty, as the Fuhrer's
deputy for party affairs. of keeping
In close touch with the rank and
file of the party, it was pointed out
The gauieiters, or district Nazi lead
ers, reported to him, the results of
their "polls"-of unknown accuracy
among Germans on important
matters.
While emphasizing that any guess
as to the reason for Hess fight to
Scotland was pure speculation" one
diplomat here who became person.
ally acquainted with the NO. 3
Nazi," during years Of service in
Berlin. said it might have followed
disturbing reports from the gau-
letters.
Hitler May Have Blown Up.
It may have been, he went on,
that the district leaders told Hess
things we're getting tough" and
they we're not sure that they would
be able to hold the people together,
particularly if the war lasted into
next year, as Hitler's last speech
hinted was probable.
If Hess should have taken such
disquieting news 20 Hitler, it is en-
tirely possible that Hitler blew up
and accused his deputy of disloyalty
for believing such things, despite
their long and intimate association.
There was no evidence of break
up among the German people when
he left Berlin early this year, the
diplomat who engaged in this spec
ulation said. He pointed out. how
ever, that the Germans were an
overworked and tired people, having
been under terrific pressure even for
a long time before the war because
of Hitler's rearmament program.
Blow to Morale Seen.
Diplomatic circles seemed agreed
that Hess dramatic fight to
Britain would be great blow to the
morale of the German people, no
matter what explanation they &C
cept.
Both the official German and the
British accounts of the wars strang-
est episode, 1t was said, contain ele-
tnents that can hardly be reassuring
to the average man in the Third
Reich.
These sources reasoned as follows:
The German version speaks of
Hess failing health for years" and
raises doubts as to his sanity, at least
at the time he decamped. Inas-
much as Hess continued active in
important government and Nazi
party affairs almost to the end, the
inevitable question arises as to Hess
mental condition for some time past.
Presages German Defeat.
II. short, the German people may
we'll wonder how long important af-
fairs have been in the hands of a
man of dubious mental stability.
The British account sows different
seeds of doubt 1t represents Hess,
long one of Hitler's closest associ-
ates, as deserting Der Fuehrer at
the high tide of victory to surrender
voluntarily in Great Britain. And
1t stresses his complete sanity.
Accepted in this light, Hess flight
can only dumbfound the average
German, it was said. There never
had been any question of Hess 10y
atty to Hitler in the past. He had
stuck to Der Fuehrer during the
most discouraging days of the Nazi
movement. Why this amazing turn
about? Did it mean he saw defeat
ahead for the Reich? Had he lost
faith in Hitler?
Diplomatic quarters here were
frankly bewildered as to the COM
plete significance of the entire mat
ter Apparently authoritative re-
ports reaching the Capital, how
ever, agreed on three points: That
Hess identity had been established
beyond doubt, that he was perfectly
sane and that he fed Germany for
fear of his life.
. Confirms Nazi Strife.
Information has been reaching
London for some time past, 1t was
said, that relations in inner Nazi
councils were strained and Hess
flight was looked on as confirmation
of such reports.
A likely reason for the breach, one
Informed source said, was disagree
ment over Germany's future mill
tary moves, but this makes for a
strange denoument. Hess, it was
explained, had been usually identi-
fed with the so-called left wing Of
Nazi officials who advocated a
Knockout invasion of Britain,
whereas the generals and right wing
officials favored the Mediterranean
and Near East theater of opera
tions for the present.