THE GERMAN ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1930, Page 8

THE GERMAN ELECTIONS

(Auckland StarV; About/ two months ago a crisis suddenly arose in the German Reichstag. Certain financial measures were, in the opinion of the Government, required to enable Germany to meet her obligations under the Young Plan and to balance the Ru.dget, but the Chnncellot could nob force them through. Under an “emergency clause” of the Con stitution the. President has power tr. impose “necessary” measures by de cree. Rut when the attempt was mad* the Reichstag set up systematic ob struction. But evidently von Hinderburg knows his own mind, and he at once dissolved the Reichstag and an nounced a new election. This brief recital supplies all the information needed to exlaiii the remarkable situation that lias suddenly developed in Germany. The elections have been held, and the Centre or Moderati Party, with its allied. Socialist groups, has suffered a severe reverse. At the same time the extremists—the National Socialists or “Hitlerites” on tin Right and the Communists of the Left —have greatly increased their strength. The success of the Communist faction, though well marked, is not a serious factor in the situation But the triumph of the “Hitlerities,’ who aim at the overthrow of the Re public, is a very different matter, am. it may lead to the most serious crisis that Germany lias yet had to face. it is a curious fact that Adolf Hit ler, the founder of the National Social ist Party, was not a German, but ar Austrian. But all Austrians are Teu tons, and their traditional reverence for the Habsburg monarchy make: them enthusiastic advocates of absolut ism. Hitler, with the aid of Luden dorff, organised the “Putsch” which n 1923 almost succeeded in overwhelming republicanism in Bavaria, and lie war sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.' But he was speedily released, and under his guidance the party of reaction soon gathered strength. Itt slogan was, to all intents and purposes, “Down with the Republic, and under the control of Hugenburg, a Conservative newspaper proprietor, and Count Westarp, a fire-eating militarist of the old school, it lias fierce ]y opposed the Constitutionalists. But in the last Reichstag the “Hitlerites” held only 12 seats, and in the new Chamber they already claim over 100, and the politicians are beginning to anticipate dire trouble for the Chan cellor Bruening and the Centre oi Moderate Party which he has kept in power for a time hv dexterous manoeuvres and carefully chosen alliances The “Hitlerites” regard Parliamentary government as a failure, and they hav< declared in favour of a Dictatorship. In fact, they are Fascists, slightly disguis ed, and most of them are prepared tc make Count Westarp or some othei militarist their Mussolini. It should, he observed that the Communists an also working for the extinction of re publican ism and the enthronement of a Director, after the fashion of Lenir. or Stalin. Thus, though the Fascists and the Bolsheviks are “wide as the poles apart,’ they both favour absol utism, and their combined hostility may prove too much for constitutional government in Germany. For the moment the safety and, m deed, the existence of the republic de pends on the courage and the politica wisdom of Dr. Bruening. He is onl\ 45 years old, and he was trained as a teacher of history and philosophy. But as Chancellor he has displayed sc much good sense, resourcefulness and capacity for leadership that he has won a large measure of public confidence. Moreover, he has the support of Hindenberg, who has given proof that litis prepared to support a constitutiona Republic to the extreme limit of his powers. Even now Bruening’s task would not be so difficult if it were not for the multiplicity of political inter ests represented in the Reichstag. Ii .the last Parliament there were at different, times from 10 to II separate parties, and it is always possible that the defection of one or other of these small groups may leave a weakness ii Bruening’s position of which the non powerful “Hitlerite” Party may take advantage to overthrow the Rcpubb: nnel cnf. 11 n TT-vcr-ism in its olace.