CHAOS IN GERMANY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 473, 6 March 1933, Page 4

CHAOS IN GERMANY

Yesterday Germany went through the formality of another Reichstag election, the result of which will be of no consequence to the Republic, for the present Government is already resolved to stay in power no matter what happens. Herr Hitler has said that he does not wish to begin his task until the people have spoken, but at the same time he announeed that he would not resign even if they spoke against him. While professing this indifference to the result, Herr Hitler, is nevertheless, taking the maximum precautions against the Communists. It is possible that the raid on the Communist headquarters has actually revealed plans for the seizure of the country; it is possible, too, that the firing of the Reichstag was part of a Communist plot, but at the same time it is strange that all this should have happened so short a time bef ore the election was to be held. It may be assumed, however, that the general situation is desperate, for the latest dieta-

torial decrees, unparalleled in their severity, could . be issued only by leaders who believe that they are struggling for their own safety and the safety of their country. Such an attempt to subjugate all forees opposed to prevailing authority can lead to but one of two things. The Communists will be completely suppressed, or they will make a desperate bid to save themselves from extinction. With sueh an array of foree against them it is not likely that they could gain much from revolutionary action, but in desperation they may make a final bid for freedom before they are submerged. No country in Europe has the stage so well set for revolution and civil war as Germany has now, and it will require masterly control on the part of Herr Hitler and his associates to avoid a clash. For the present they are placing their faith in the iron heel and the allegiance of the people to the benignant figure of President von Hindenburg. There is always the ehance that a dictatorship fouhded on force eontains the seeds of its own destruction. Opponents can be silenced, kept under the whip, and deprived of their freedom, but not so indefinitely if they are large in number. The logical outcome of such a policy on the part of dictatorial rulers is revolt — which may not gain much, but that does not matter when there is nothing to lose. Possibly revolt was at hand, and Herr Hitler has taken a desperate stand against a tide which threatened to engulf him and throw Germany into the ehaos of civil commotion, the repercussioii of which would have been felt throughout Europe.