BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1930, Page 2

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

ADOLF HITLER. Herr Adolf Hitler, founder of the National Socialist Party in Germany, was born at Linr., Upper Austria. He was an architectural draughtsman, and went to Munich in 1912 to continue tiis training. When the Great War broke out he enlisted in the 16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment, in which he served throughout the campaign. He was twice wounded, received a commission and was awarded the Iron Cross. After the war Herr Hitler joined forces with General Ludendorff in Bavaria in an attempt to dispose the Berlin Government. Their movement, known as the Hitler “putsch,” .came to an end on November 9, 1926, when there was lighting in front of the. Munich Residency, where the police held up a procession headed by General Ludendorff and Herr Hitler. This brought about ••the collapses of the “putsch.” Herr Hitler was arrested m the country a few days later, and alter a trial at Munich, which lasted lour weeks, was condemned on April 5, 1921 to five year’s imprisonment in a fortress. But as early in the autumn of 1924, despite the objections of the State Attorney, he was granted'a four year’s interval in the serving of hits term or imprisonment and was released. In February of the next year he reorganised the Nationalist Socialist Workmen'* Party, which thereupon seceded front the German Popular Freedom Movement, The party was then represented in the Reichstag by Dr Frick and Ludendorff. Latterly Hitler "has edited a Munich newspaper.

Before the elections it was apparent that Hitler's followers, the National Socialist German Workmen’s Party, were growing in numbers. Last year was a period of phenomenal development. \

The founder and leader’“&T Fascism in Germany recently /.spoke at a mass meeting in Berlin on the aims of his movement. He does not speak very often in the capital of the Reich. There was a time, iii fact, when it was deemed most unlikely that his movement, bred in the nationalistic atmosphere of Bavaria, would ever spread to republican and democratic North Germany. Now he has followers in all parts of Germany. They have formed a party in the Reichstag, they sit in the Government of Thuringia, whose Premier is one of the leadens of this movement.

Dr Heinrich Bruning -who was Chancellor of Germany before the recent election, has been recommissioned by the President, Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, to form a cabinet. He was born at Minster in Westphalia in November, 1885. He studied history, philosophy and political science at the Universities of Munich, Strassburg and Bonn, passed the State examination for secondary school teachers in 1911 and then spent two years in England and France, In 1915 he took his degree in economics, afterwards esrving on the Western Front in an infantry regiment, and later in a machine-gun unit. He was wounded and was awarded the Iron Cross. After the war lie held a post for a time in the Prussion Public Welfare Ministry, but in 1921 became secretary of the German Trade Union League. In that capacity he was elected to tlie Reichstag ns a member of the Centre (Catholic) party in May. 1924. In 1829 he was also elected to the Prussian Diet, but resigned his seat in July of that year to create a vacancy for a deputy from the,Saar. In December, 1929, the Centre Party in the Reichstag elected him as its leader in succession to Herr Stegenvald who had become Minister of Transport. In March, 1830, Dr Muller’s Cabinet fell in consequence of. the refusal of the Socialists to agree to a compromise regarding unemployment insurance contributions. Dr Pruning accepted an invitation to form a Government, and at President Hindenburg’s' request did so very quickly. Eight of its twelve members were taken over from the old Cabinet, Dr Curtins retaining the portfolio of Foreign Affairs and Herr Moldenhauer that of Finance. Dr Schiele, a Nationalist hostile to Dr Hugenburg, was included, as also a member of the “Business” party and the “Popular Conservatives.” The Government depended for its existence on the indulgence of a portion of the Right. It adopted the Budget and taxation plan of the Muller Ministry, and Dr Bruning intimated that, if a majority was not to be had, these measures would be carried by the Use of clause 48 of the constitution which would be effective only if accompanied by a dissolution of the Reichstag. Tiie dissolution of the Reichstag. The dissolution occurred, and the election showed a very large increase in the strength of the extreme right, under Ilerr Hitler.

The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce, who is making a solo flight to Tokio, is the foremost woman motor-car racer, and has several records to her credit. Taking up track racing with her husband, she became noted for exceptional coolness and judgment, combined with unfaltering courage. She first came into prominence in January, 1927, when as a competitor in a race from the extreme north of Scotland to Monte Carlo, she

covered the distance in three days with out sleep. Jn July of. that year she and her husband drove through Sweeten to the Arctic Circle going 200 miles further north than any motorist had been before. Jn December they achieved a feat which for pluck and superb driving skill had never been equalled. In bitterly eold and stormy weather they diove a ear for ten days continuously on the Montlhery track in I ranee, covering 15,000 miles afc an average speed of 68 m.p.h.. and beating several records. It was not until the fifth day when an accident delayed them for sixteen hours and injured her husband that she accepted occasional relict m driving from another motorist. In November, 1928, she drove from Stockholm to Monte. Carlo over roads widen for about 508 miles were covered with deep snow.

Returning to the racing track the following year, she accomplished at Montlhery the most remarkable feat standing to the credit of a woman motorist. Driving a ear continuously for twenty-four hours with only one or two brief breaks for snatches of food, she covered over 2200 miles at 90 m.p.h. This broke not only the previous twenty-four-hour speed record (73 m.p.h), but also that for the finest non-stop run by a single driver. In January, 1930, she was again close to the Arctic Circle, and thence drove once more in bitter winter conditions to Monte Carlo.

Interspersed .with those activities were speed trials with motor-boats, of which she possessed four. In 1817 she crossed the English Channel, 'from Dover to Calais and hack— -ft distance

of 45 miles—in 107 minutes, making a new record. But in August, 1929, .she beat this, and also a record of 80 minute.s set up hv Kayo Don in the interval, for she covered the distance in 79 minutes.