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Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1932, Page 4

The new Chancellor of Germany, Lieut.-General Kurt von Schleicher, was born in Brandenburg on April 7th., 1882. He received the strictly military education of a young nobleman in a cadet institute, la-ndl in 19C0 entered ithe Army, where he was assigned to the infantry regiment of Field-Mar - shall von Hinden.burg. In 1913 lie was made junior officer of (he general quartermaster’!! stuff, and in this capacity, with the exception of a few months in 1917 on the- front in lie served throughout the war. Von Schleicher was appointed Secretary to tine RWcliwwohr Ministry under Reinhardt, the first Defence Minister of the. Gcinnan Republic. Under direction the new Reiiehswehr became a replica of the monarchist army, control! resting in the- hands of its military leaders. The influence of the civilian authorities was negligible. It wa« only liatuiit’J,” writes Ludwig Lore, in the -October number of “Current History,” that ti e influence of the military machine should grow to even' greater proportions under the von Hinde.nburg regime. LieutenantGeneral von fc'chh-ichyr b. c ine (lie central figure of an exceedingly active I nd jineijeaisii-ngly 'powerful military camarilla. Hit* influence extended in every direetVui. 'The ex-Crown Prince is a regular visiter at hjs residence, and von Schleicher is in constant intimate ecu tact with the entire Hohenzollern family. In the spring of 1929, at von Fchleich-er’s suggestion, a nieav office —that rf the Chief of the PiSajichswelhr Ministry-v, as created,

and to this post he was appointed. In this Capacity he superintended the political the judicial, and the defence divisions oij uh'e Mviujjtry, and was chief of 'personnel. It was the purpose of this new office to relieve, the Army ana 1 Navy heads from uniieeesshrv ‘participation iu Parliamentary sessions, hut tue constant contact with the Reichstag and its leaders, the intimate acquaintance with its political bamificatians, and tit© dail'.y verbal reports to the President of the Reich that this post entailed gave von Schleicher extraordinary influence. The appointment of the, Bruening Cabinet, purged as it was of Socialist elements, still further solidified von Schleicher’s position in the Reich Government. His demands for the recognition of the military caift.vrilki liter 1 ‘‘ 'represented became more and more important. For it he urged the inclusion of meinlioivs of the ‘National Opposition’— the Nazis and Hungenberg Nationalists in the Government, a st.p that Bruening hesitated to take, fearing its influence on the outcome of the approaching Lausanne conference. The dissolution of the Hitlerite Sturmab-teiluno-en by Groener, whom Biuening to von Schleicher’s great resentment, had won over to his point of view, .precipitated a new Governmental crisis. Groener reulgred, and von Schleicher surveyed the field for Bruening’s successor. He found the man in von papen, and Bruening’s, resignation became a mere formality. Von Papen and von Schleicher eire frankly disdainful of parliamentary rule. They regard democracy as a failure, and attribute to its vacillation® the economic downfall that : has overtaken Germany. On the other hand they are acutely conscious that an open break with the Rieiehstiag uhy he dangerous. Nor have their protestations for a snpeivparty Government deceived the public, which realises that trev represent a reincarnation of the old Monarchist Conservative- Party.”