A FUGITIVE GANGSTER.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 May 1941, Page 4

A FUGITIVE GANGSTER.

J7JVEN where it has been free from the sentiment against which a protest is entered by the Lord Provost of Glasgow. Sir Patrick Bollan, much of the talk about Rudolf Less with which news cablegrams and radio broadcasts have overflowed during the fast day or two rather obviously has been overdone and has tended to exaggerate the importance of Less and of his flight from Germany to Scotland. Sir Patrick Pollan has put the realities of the position bluntly in the statement that

the British people should not forget that fourteen countries have been overrun and crucified largely as a result of Hess’s plotting. He has • come to Britain not for love of us, but for love of his own skin.

The only question really open where Hess is concerned is 1 whether lie is genuinely a fugitive or is intent, under cover of a. pretended flight, on promoting some sort of tortuous Nazi intrigue. If he is genuinely a fugitive, his action may be supposed to mark the beginning of a split in the Nazi Parly on which bigger and better things may be expected Io follow in good time. If, on the other hand,' that hard-headed war administrator, Mr Ernest Bevin, is right in believing that Hess acted with Hitler’s knowledge, the affair would be of interest chiefly in demonstrating that the Nazi gangsters have an even poorer understanding than had been supposed of the spirit of the British nation.

H is, of course, right that the facts of this peculiar incident should be brought out as clearly as possible. The delay I hat occurred in announcing the arrival of Hess in Scotland has been explained and accounted for quite satisfactorily by Mr Churchill, and it gives no ground for complaint that the'British Prime Minister is awaiting the result ol further investigations and inquiries before making his promised statement in the House of Commons. If. is already plain, however, that Hess can be of importance only if he is able to throw some useful light on methods of intensifying the attack on the Nazi gangsters. He may be of some use, much as a criminal is when he turns King s evidence against those in whose crimes he has had a pait. That Hess need be considered from any other standpoint is wholly improbable.

Every loyal-hearted citizen in the British Empire, and it may be hoped in the countries of its allies, including those meantime subjugated and exposed to the horrors of Nazi tyranny and oppression, will applaud and support the statement of Air Bevin that Hess is a man he would hot negotiate with. Precisely Hie same of course is to be said of every member of the Nazi gang, from Hitler downward. The declaration made lime and again by responsible members of the British Government that there will he no negotiation with the Nazi <>'an<>' finds its ample justification in the fact that Hitler and Tiis "associates are criminals of the vilest type, guilty of wholesale murder and theft and ol the torture and maltreat men! of their opponents in their own and other countries. If else floured on their account, these mon would still have to bo outlawed hv civilised humanity on the ground that their word is worthless and that they do not know the meaning of good faith. Lvili"' and deception are an essential part of their stock in trade'

. In light of these simple facts, the possible importance and significance of the Hess affair is reduced to small proportion's. Hess lias played a much less conspicuous public part than a number of other leading Nazis, bul for manv rears he has been an active, trusted and influential member of the gau- and undoubted y he bears Ins I'ull share of responsibility for its unspeakable crimes Negol ml ions with Germany will be possible only when the German people have cast off Ilin iV-r/i mLn no dmdff the yoke will have to he broken bvthe ° IIP before that act of redemption will be pos-sible-and have called the gang of which Hess has been a leading member to a sharp and final reckoning