The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-03-18
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, ID. c.

VasHiHgt0Hr ~. y.
Where is Hitler?
That question can't be answered
with any certainty at this writing
and nobody seems to care. For more
than a month, the communication.
from the German High Command
have not borne the Fuehrer's sigma
ture. The anniversaries of two oil
the great events in Nazi history have
come and gone, the celebrations
were held with very little display
IN comparison with other years and
entirely without appearance of the
No. Nazi himself. Hitler has made
no public appearance for months.
It is true that communications
supposedly from the Fuehrer have
been made public but always
through a second party. notably the
speech on the anniversary of the
founding of the National Socialist
party. The set excuse is that Hitler
is with his troops in the Russian
front. But at the rate that front is
moving these days, it is doubtful
II he IS very near it. 1t is quite pos
slble that he is elsewhere or even
nowhere but the interesting thing is
that this man, who has managed to
turn the world upside down, does not
seem at all essential to the great
political and military machine he
has built up. 1t may be functioning
without him and this would seem to
indicate that If he is not dead, but
should suddenly die, it wouldn't
make much difference.
Some time ago, a report received
from underground sources was re-
ceived in London. 1t said that "Hit.
Ter either has been given an ultima
tum by his generals, who pointed
out his military blunders. or he is
suffering from one of his hysterical
fits and is in i'll health as result
OF his Russian reverses."
Recent Developments
What about these fits? They are
no fiction but well-authenticate
events. Before several witnesses
he has frequently burst into tears,
and in other ways given vent to ut
terly uncontrolled emotions. But
these fits are of less Importance than
certain other likewise well-substan-
tlated but not widely known devel-
opments which have taken place
within the last year or two.
There are several stories which
heard from the lips of a man who
has closely watched Hitlers career
from its earliest beginning. The
man is Fred Oechsner, former
colleague of mine. In fact, | was
instrumental in having him sent to
Berlin as correspondent for the Con-
solidated Press just about the time
Hitler was beginning his political
career.
Long before anybody else took
Hitler seriously, Oechsner wrote to
me: This man is some day going
to be the bull in Europe's china
shop Oechsner, who is now in
Washington, told me the following
story which he also repeats in his
excellent book, This Is the Enemy"
As you know, Hitler was always
teetotaler. He never drank any
thing but some very weak beer es-
pecially brewed for him and he only
took sips OF this pale beverage.
Recently his habits changed.
Persons who visited him at his
headquarters early In the winter told
me- Oechsner says, that he was
becoming grave and irritable and
that it was not uncommon for him
on a cold night to drink three or
four glasses of grog. He also took
occasional drinks of Bavarian
liquor called Enzian which is not
unlike GIN"
Now Oechsner is an exceedingly
reliable reporter and when he saws
the Fuehrer finished three grogs in
an evening, believe it-also be-
lleve that man unused to taking
alcohol must have been higher than
Berchtesgaden when he went 10 bed.
Oechsner also said. "There is a
German physician of international
repute who believes that some day
Hitler will have a brain disturbance
OF serious nature. This physician
has treated Hitler since 1921 and |
knows his physical condition as well |
as his personal life. 1t is his opinion
that Hitler is an outstanding exam |
pie of q half-trained, half-educated |
person with a phenomenal talent for
absorbing and co-ordinating infor-
and detail cleaned from 9TH
er sources. This attention to detail |
and pattern, he says. is obvious in
Hitler's drawings, in his speeches,