Evening star., 1941-06-01
BY J. L. Moreno, M. d.

By J. L. Moreno, M. d.
Rudolf Hess flight to Scotland is no
great mystery to psychologists.
He is member of power group. A
characteristic tactic of such groups is
stunning surprise. From this view Hess
flight is understandable.
In fact, it might even yet prove to
be dangerous. Possibly the only serious
mistake has been in the timing
The power groups, from gangs to po.
litical set-ups, have long been studied
in the laboratory and it has become pos
sible to explain, predict and combat the
behavior of their members.
The laboratory teaches that the proper
measure for preventing such behavior
from having pan1c-provoking and con-
fuAng effects, Is To cut of and isolate
the act from all contact with those
for whom it is calculated until theD sur
prise element has subsided
This, in effect, is what was done in
Great Britain.
Let us examine the relations of Hitler
to members of his group, for without
understanding this structure, we cannot
understand Hess action.
Depending on whether the original
boss, the initiator, is alive or not. the
structure differs, whether it be a crimi-
nal gang, or social or political group. If
Lenln, for example, had lived he might
have been able to keep in balance the
Stain ond cLu &c,
gone, Stain gained prestige by ending
Trotsky.
Blind Obedience.
Hitler has built his power on blind
and absolute obedience and loyalty of his
associates. Loss of any one of them,
whether by treason, suicide, murder or
flight, means deep personal injury and
loss of prestige. Hess clandestine de-
parture for England is only one of
series of losses among the inner ranks
No leader, however powerful can go on
replacing such losses indefinitely.
Hitler has made tremendous emo
tional and symbolic investment in every
one of his original followers. There is a
good reason for this.
Hitler is credited with ambitions to
dominate the world. But he is an isolate,
and to succeed needs extensions of him
self-followers who can do what he him
self cannot; namely, provide the link
with the masses
Goering, Goebbels and Hess are thre,
examples of men who have become ex-
of ,o;r
identified himself with Hitler as to be-
come, perhaps without knowing it, NOR
Hitler than themselves.
Hitler for his part has become NOR
dependent on these extensions of him
self. He trusts them 10 act and thin.
for him, and invests them with power.
believing they will never use it inde-
pendently of him or against him.
The relative prominence of such auxil-
iary egos changes from time to time. At
one point the army may be in the fore
front and the party in the background.
Hess, the party leader, may have been
forced into an isolated position and,
perhaps, Hitler himself with him.
For the natural jealousies and frictions
between members of the group manifest
ly affect the leader himself Hitler is
torn by the very roles of himself which
he has projected into his creatures. For
him to punish any of the men embodying
these roles would be to punish or purge
himself
The case of Rudolf Hess cannot be
separated from the case of Adolf Hitler.
For everything one of these extensions of
the leader accomplishes for himself is
also realization of some aim of Hitler.
For example, when Hess flies to Scot
land he may be only exemplifying for the
Fuehrer. Hitler's own idea (Which, unbe-
known to Hess, Hitler may have shelved).
We know that for a long time it was an
idea of both Hitler and Hess that there
should be an alliance between Great
Britain and Germany. Hess was par
ticularly obsessed with this idea.
1t is natural that Hess would be the
spearhead of any attempt on Hitler's
part to make peace at this time with
England. Therefore, the closer Hess
could come to the realization of the idea
the nearer would Hitler himself be
brought to victory.
Hess has made his surprise flight and
perhaps his grandstand play for peace.
The probability is that Hess will now
suffer the fate of others who have
brought total or partial realization to
some of Hitler'S more urellccesSful ideas