GERMAN AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1932, Page 6

GERMAN AFFAIRS

-NEW 'PRUSSIAN COMMISSIONER.

((United Press Association—Bj’ Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received this, day at 11 a.fh.) BERLIN, July 20

The Reich Government has appointed Von Papen as State Commissioner for Prussia with practically dictatorial powers. Von Papen has informed the Prussian Ministers' .that prevailing 'condition's had failed to guarantee, law .and order, and, therefore, he had been 'appointed 'Commissioner until the new Prussian., Diet agreed to elect their own Prune Minister. -The decision implies! the acceptance of Hitl'er's argument that 'Socialist rule is unhide to prevent disorders ini Prussia.

DEATHBLOW TO DEMOCRACY

TRANSFERENCE OF POWER

BERLIN, July 20.

The Dictatorship is the greatest coup since the Republic was declared 'in 1919, and is regarded as the deathblow to the Democratic regime. Coupled with the declaration of. a military state of emergency in Berlin, the Brandenburg events in Prussia have stirred the Von Papen is the nominal dictator of Prussia.

The decdeo places in the Reich’s hands, th'e bulk of the legal armed forces, and deposes the Minister of the Interior, Herr Severing, who recently declared that Von Papen’s Ministry must be driven from office.

Von. Papen summoned him this ‘morning and announced th'e-'dictator-ship. Herr Severing returned to his offiqe to find one hundred soldiers in charge, with orders to use force if he declined to vacate the position. Infantry and'' machine guns are guarding the German Chancellery nearby. It is believed that an acute struggle . for supremacy will ensue, and that troops* will occupy the state of Prussia.

The Ministry, President, and vicePresident have resigned, and Herr Schleicher has been appointed rui'er m Berlin and Brandenburg with summary powers. He may order house to house searches or confiscations a/nd forbid any kind of, demonstration and establish extraordinary courts - . He is empowered to impose the death penalty for armied resistance to the military or polide, or for treason. Herr ' Schleicher’s first act was the dismissal of the acting-Ministers.