strung across the principal streets proclaimed Germany's desire for peace and her demand for Gleichberechtigung (equality of rights). Nazi leaders who only a few months ago glorified war and death on the field of battle addressed political meetings as apostles of peace.

Hitler's speech to the workmen at the Siemens factory in Berlin on Friday preceding the election was the culminating point in the campaign. This speech was cleverly staged in a setting designed to produce a maximum of propagandistic effect. All shops and places of business throughout Germany ceased work at 1 o'clock for one hour to enable the employees to listen to the speech which was broadcast on a nation-wide hook-up. Employers had to provide loudspeakers for this purpose, and no employee could leave his shop or office while the Chancellor spoke. At 1 o'clock sharp the wailing of the sirens at the Siemens factory, which was broadcast to the furthermost corners of Germany, announced one minute of silence during which all work and traffic ceased. Dr. Goebbels delivered an introductory address, which was interrupted by the one minute's silence, and then the Chancellor began to speak.

This speech, like the theatrical setting in which it was made, was cleverly calculated to appeal to the hearts of the German workmen. Mr. Hitler began by stressing the fact that he also was once a workman and that he served as a private during the war. He praised the diligence and industry of the German workmen and declared that it was his faith in the German workmen and peasants, not in the intellectual sections of the population, that gave him the courage "to begin this gigantic task”. His statement that he destroyed all political parties, not only the two labor parties of the Left (Social-Democrats and Communist), was clearly intended to appease the workmen who formerly looked to these parties for political guidance.

To lend emphasis to his appeal for the workmen's support in the referendum, Mr. Hitler went so far as to say that without equality of rights for Germany an improvement in the German economic situation was not possible. To any impartial observer the absurdity of this argument is only too obvious. However, millions of Germans doubtless believe this, forgetting that unemployment in Germany increased more rapidly after the evacuation of the Rhineland and the cessation of reparation payments.

In an attempt to repudiate assertions in foreign countries that he was preparing for war, the Chancellor declared that any one who like himself had served at the front and was familiar with the ravages of war had had enough of it. President von Hindenburg, in his radio appeal to the nation on the eve of the election to support the Government in the struggle for Gleichberechtigung, resorted to a similar argument. The President said that anyone who like himself had experienced the horrors

of three wars could not desire another war. For the German people the logic of such arguments is doubtless convincing. Few Germans realize that this argument could also be invoked, and with no less justification, by army officers in France and other countries, and if carried to a logical conclusion could be used to prove that all army officers who had seen war service are most convinced pacifists.

While it is true that the elections on November 12 can not well be regarded as an entirely free expression of the will of the people, there is no gainsaying that the referendum on foreign policy received widespread approval and that the German people have solemnly endorsed the Chancellor in this respect. They have also given him a homogeneous Reichstag with the aid of which he can now enact the Constitution of the Third Reich. Whether or not millions of Germans voted against their own conviction out of fear of political reprisals or because they succumbed to the influence of the one-sided intensive campaign conducted by the Government, the fact remains that Hitler has received an overwhelming vote of confidence and that he is now the undisputed ruler of Germany.

The future of the present Government affords an interesting subject for study. The German nation, as a whole, likes and respects authority even though that authority may deprive it of many individual rights and privileges which the Anglo-Saxon demands. This accounts to a certain degree for the success of the National Socialist movement. If the Nazi Government can divert public attention from economic problems by pursuing a successful foreign policy and can avoid giving undue offense to the religious sensibilities of important portions of the electorate, its tenure of power would appear to be a prolonged one. Respectfully yours,

For the Ambassador: J. C. WHITE Counselor of Embassy

802.00/3158

The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Acting Secretary of State No. 292

BERLIN, November 24, 1933. [Received December 5.]

SIR: I have the honor to inform the Department that since the transmission of my despatch No. 263 of November 15, additional information received by the Embassy tends to confirm the statements in that report regarding the pressure exerted upon the voters to cast their ballots.

The Consul at Stuttgart states that from four until six p.m. uniformed National Socialists visited the houses of delinquent voters who were

practically forced to go to the polls in automobiles provided for that purpose. The same procedure is reported by the Consul in Breslau. Copies of these reports have been forwarded to Washington.65

In an interesting letter to me, dated November 14, Consul General Simmons at Cologne reports to the same effect regarding the balloting in the Rhineland. The pertinent passages are enclosed herewith.65

The Consul at Leipzig has written me that "Storm Troopers and Steel Helmet men were busy all day of the election seeing that every elector cast his vote, as otherwise many electors might have stayed away from the polls."

From the foregoing it seems clear that the National Socialist organization not only exercised pressure on the voters to go to the polls, but to a definite degree influenced the character of the votes cast, despite official assurances concerning the secrecy of the ballot. Respectfully yours,

WILLIAM E. DODD

862.00/3163

The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Acting Secretary of State No. 308

BERLIN, December 4, 1933. [Received December 14.]

SIR: I have the honor to report that the Reich Chamber of Culture, mentioned in section 10 of despatch No. 172 of September 29, 1933,65 was formally constituted in Berlin on November 15 with impressive ceremonies.

The Chamber of Culture, according to Dr. Goebbels, is to be the representative body of German intellectual life. It is presumably another step towards a corporative system of "estates" which is to constitute the structure of the Third Reich. Membership in the various chambers composing the Reich Chamber is compulsory for all intellectual workers as well as for those who are engaged in the reproduction, sale or the dissemination of the products of their labor. Thus the Press Chamber will include the typesetters, the Chamber of Music, the music publishers, etc.

The Minister for Propaganda, Dr. Goebbels, is President of the Chamber, while Dr. Funk, the Secretary of State in his Ministry, is Vice President. Dr. Richard Strauss, the renowned musical director and composer, is President of the Chamber of Music; Professor Eugen Hönig, a member of a well-known firm of Munich architects, is President of the Chamber of Creative Arts; Herr Otto Laubinger, the head of the State Workers Society, is President of the Theater Chamber; Herr Hans 85 Not printed.

Friedrich Blunck, a novelist, is President of the Chamber of Literature; Herr Max Amann, for many years head of the National Socialist Publishing Association is President of the Press Chamber; Herr Horst Dressler-Andress is President of the Chamber of Broadcasting; Dr. Fritz Scheuermann is President of the Film Chamber. It should be pointed out that apart from Dr. Richard Strauss, the heads of the other chambers are men of whom little is known outside of Nazi circles.

The press, the radio, and the film became vehicles for Nazi propaganda immediately after Hitler's accession to power. In addition, the theater, literature, the creative arts, and even music, are now to be subordinated to the Nazi aims and ideals. Through this control over all cultural life in Germany, the Minister for Propaganda will be able to regiment and mould public opinion to an extent inconceivable in the United States and many other countries. That the effect will be stimulating to the artist, the author or the composer seems extremely doubtful. Respectfully yours,

For the Ambassador: J. C. WHITE Counselor of Embassy

762.65/89

The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Acting Secretary of State No. 379

BERLIN, December 22, 1933. [Received January 6, 1934.]

SIR: In continuation of despatch No. 341 of December 12, 1933,66 I have the honor to report that the visit of the Italian Secretary of State in the Foreign Ministry, Suvich, to Germany took place exactly according to the program outlined in the despatch above under reference. On December 16, the day after Suvich had left Berlin for Cologne, the entire German press published a communiqué stating that:

"The visit of the Italian Secretary of State Suvich to Berlin offered an opportunity to discuss at length quite a number of political and economic questions. All matters which there was occasion to discuss in this connection were discussed in these conversations. The discussion was conducted throughout in a friendly spirit. On the other hand, decisions were not reached, and no common action was planned. Neither the one nor the other was, from the beginning, the object of this visit. Nevertheless these conversations brought about very valuable results as it thereby again proved to be the case that a decided parallelism of interests and actions exists on both sides."

The semi-official Deutsche Diplomatisch-Politische Korrespondenz devoted its issue of December 15 to Suvich's visit, saying that it, as well as Russia's new contacts with America and Italy, indicated that, in 66 Not printed.

addition to the League of Nations and the military alliances, there also existed normal friendly relations between independent and equal powers which were far more suitable for the solution of international problems than all "artificial constructions". The Italian Government had now been informed of Germany's policies, thus obviating the possibility of misunderstandings. Disarmament, the League, and Central Europe had doubtless been the main subjects discussed. Italy was the only one of the victor countries whose official policies had been dictated by recognition of the faulty construction of the present European status, and had thus for years shown great understanding for Germany's fight for equal rights and security.

In this connection it is interesting to note that, according to reports from Rome and Vienna, published in the German press today, Suvich is to go to Vienna the middle of next month to pay a return call for Chancellor Dollfuss' recent visit to Mussolini. Following so shortly after his visit to Germany, Suvich's trip to Austria admits of two interpretations. Either he is to contribute to a solution of the AustroGerman problem, or the impression so assiduously propagated here, that Mussolini is particularly friendly to Germany, is to be counteracted by a similar exhibition of attention to Austria.

Inside information has not been forthcoming as to the tenor of the conversations between Mr. Suvich and the German Government. One colleague, however, had the information that the Italian Government did not view with favor the proposed increase of the German army, as it would call for an increase of the Italian army, which in turn would mean added expenses.

Respectfully yours,

WILLIAM E. DODD

THE NAZI CONTROL OF BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND LABOR

862.4016/620

IN GERMANY

The Chargé in Germany (Gordon) to the Secretary of State No. 2287

BERLIN, April 6, 1933. [Received April 22.]

SIR: In continuation of my telegram No. 43 of March 23, 11 a.m.,*7 with regard to the plan of the Nazis to remove important industrialists and replace them by Nazi and Nationalist henchmen, as a part of the general movement for obtaining control of every phase of German activity, I have the honor to report the following developments in this field.

67 Post, p. 328.