(Mr. Lohia has just returned from Germany after a stay of four year», during which he took- a course in Political Economy, History and Philosophy in the University of Berlin. His thesis for the Doctrate Degree of Philosophy, which he eventually took with honours was "The Taxation of Salt in India," dealing with its historical as well as it its financial and political importance. In Berlin he was for sometime the Secretary of the "Hindustan Association of Central Europe)
The process of complete organisational crippling of the Opposition in Germany can be said to be almost complete now. With the cleansing of the State machinery of all "non-national elements and the suppression of all Communists and Republican associations like the Reichsbauner and the "Iron Front,” based on even the faintest military lines, and, in view of the opposition press being muzzled or almost non-existent, it is legitimate to conclude that Hitler has succeeded in depriving the Opposition of even the most elementary organisational basis.
The newest political event in Germany of Hitler being armed with absolute dictatorial power serves to dispel any misgivings about his position in his own "nationalistic block." The national question, therefore, that at the present stage of German political development arises in everyone's mind is: How long? Is Hitler going to have a long, possibly interminably long, lease of power?
An attempt at an objective examination of the question must necessarily take account of the reasons that raised Hitler from being "the last of the seven" in a beer-group of Munich to the Chancellorship of the German Republic and the, leadership of a party of 17 million voters, in, the course of little more than 10 years. Do these reasons still hold good? Are the factors that raised Hitler to power still a live-force in German politics?
POST-WAR MOOD OF DEPRESSION
Hitler's own words uttered some time ago ''I am a trumpeteer who aroused the nation to a realisation of its downfall and consciousness of its strength” give us a clear idea of one of Hitler's chief helping forces- The German defeat in the World-War, the humiliation of the Treaty, Reparations and territorial annexations coupled with alarming industrial depression and unemployment served to create a general disaffection and put the nation in a ''messaic" mood. The rickety, compromising, unsteady nature of German Governments after the War they were all "coalition governments between the Catholic Centre, religious, liberal and capitalistic and the Social Democrats supplied sufficient propagandist ground. Hitler saw his chance and seized it. He used the catchy phrase glorious German history" ''national pride and honour" "our wonderful industry and technique” ''the superiority of the Germanic race” and very clever shouldered the Communists and the Socialists whom he classed together as the 'red" or Marxist pest, with the responsibility, for all German ills. The petite bourgeoisie, which forms a great part of the population, was attracted, and embittered against the ''Reds". A very widespread desire for a strong national government and a unified German people took hold of men's minds and the "Reds" became the scapegoats, “traitors’’ the hindrance to the Germanic glory.
PROMISES FOR ALL
This general feeling was strengthened by practical promises. Germany was promised the abolition of the Reparations the recovery of German territories annexed according to the. clauses of the Versailles Treaty. and equality of military status with other nations. Unemployment was to be banished altogether and every German was promised bread and work, In fact the National Socialist anthem suggests a general rejoining of the masses and says, in glory of the Swastika flag-"the day of bread and freedom dawns." The best way of symptomising these promises is to quote a rather caustic Opposition saying prevalent all over Germany. ''The house-owner is promised high rents, and the tenant low, the industry promised high profit and the worker, better wages and living conditions and so on.”
CAPITALIST HELP
Financial help from capital and heavy industry and Herr Thyssen and Hugenberg controlling iron and coal industries of Germany being in active sympathy with Nazis, has been of the greatest assistance to the party. It can be safely presumed they are going to be so in the future, too. For though the National Socialist programme should have Socialism in it, on the basis of its name, it contains instead the assurance that, private property shall exist under Nazi regime. Only that it should not be misused for profits sake and so go contrary to the nation's welfare. But that is just a piece of unforseeaable advice to be used or unused at the employer's wishes. Such other reasons as the lure of a military uniform to the German people and the use of beautiful military trappings by the Storm Troopers may also have tended to increase the party's ranks. How far are these forces still active? Can it be said that the promises are - now losing, or will in the near future - lose, their catching strength?
NO LAURELS THROUGH FOREIGN POLICY
We may first enquire into the factors of the general foreign and internal policy penned and pursued by the Nazis and their capacity to satisfy the masses in this regard. Reparations were abolished even before the Nazis came into power. Recovery of lost territories is a tougher question and it is difficult to imagine how the Nazis are going to regain control of the Polish Corridor, separating West Prussia from East Prussia which nevertheless they have batteried with their most formidable effectives. A propagandist chart disclosing the infinitely superior strength of the Polish military position in comparison to the German on the Eastern Front could be noticed even on the walls of the Decanate of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Berlin which, while it expresses the desire and the psychological preparedness of the Germans to acquire the Corridor, also gives us to understand that a war-like complication is absolutely necessary. Germany cannot afford the luxury of a war. The only course in which the Nazis can gain laurels of foreign policy is therefore an international agreement concerning a general or limited military service of the German Youth. Some psychological success may also be attained by such an event, as the return of the Ex-Kaiser to Germany, as a private man of course, not on account of its political but its news importance—a pure chauvinistic sensation.
"MARXISM MUST BS KILLED"
The field of foreign policy being thus limited, Hitler's dynamic force, to is naturally transferred to the internal questions of the establishment of a strong authoritative Government and the complete incapacitation of the "Reds." The buccaneering art with which Hitler dealt, and is still dealing with the Opposition is not in the least astonishing; it is an unavoidable development of the German political phase. The mass of voters who cast their votes for Hitler have one supreme obsession. "Marxism mast be killed." Every single act of political repression of the Opposition serves, therefore, to reach two ends at a time. It means the stabilisation of Hitler in power and the continual restoration of the confidence in the leader by the exhilarated and pleased masses.
It was one of my most common experiences that otherwise educated and cultured German students expressed their glee even upon personal assaults by the Storm Troopers on their adversaries. This political stunt may be expected to be of great use to Hitler and be of the utmost importance to the consideration of his power. The only hope for the Opposition, in this case lies in the eventual fiasco of the economic programme of the Nazis. This is a subject about which nothing ran be prophesied in present world depression.
25 March, 1933, The Hindu.
