German Jewry Breathes Freely Again: Reassured by Hindenburg’s Pig Majority and Certainty of Final Re

German Jews breathed more freely when they went to bed in the early hours of this morning, after having waited up for the results of the presidential election, in which President Hindenburg came at the top of the poll, missing outright re-election by only a small mar#####, and with a certainty of re-election at the second poll on April 10th.

Hitler polled 11,338,571 votes, while President Hindenburg polled 18,661,736. The Communist, Thaelmann, polled under five million votes.

Throughout the evening the Jews of Berlin watched with feverish anxiety as the election figures came in. Very few Jews were out in the streets, most of them having gathered in groups in the houses of friends who have wireless sets, until the final figures were announced at 2.a.m.

The day passed without any serious incidents, although about 300 arrests were made at the polling stations. Strong police forces were stationed in the Jewish districts to prevent any attempt at anti-Jewish disturbances.

FEW OCCASIONS WHEN SO MUCH HUNG UPON DECISION OF A NATIONAL ELECTORATE: THE VIEW OF THE LONDON PRESS

There have been few occasions in our time, the “Daily Telegraph” writes in its leading article to-day, when so much hung upon the decision of a national electorate. Despite his heavy poll, President Hindenburg has just failed to secure the clear majority over all his opponents which would have given him victory without a second ballot. He has come exceedingly close to immediate success, but the issue must now await the second vote a month hence. That he will then secure the re-election he seeks can scarcely be doubted.

President Hindenburg stands for the meeting of his country’s desperate difficulties by steady progress along the lines of disciplined self-sacrifice and observance of national obligations laid down by the Bruening Cabinet, the “Telegraph” goes on. What Adolf Hitler stands for has never even yet been stated in precise terms. His party’s manifesto dealt only in the vaguest rhetorical appeals for confidence in the man who would impart new life to Germany and secure for her a happier future. Nothing more definite than this

has ever been promised by a party whose record is one of hysterical appeal to the discontent and disillusionment that afflict the nation. Those in the best position to form an impartial judgment of a situation of baffling complexity believe an eventual victory for the Field-Marshal to be assured.

The whole world has awaited the verdict of the poll with undisguised anxiety because of the serious economic and political issues that are outstanding, the “Daily Mail” editorial says. Outside of Germany the feeling has been that once the choice of President were made the country could settle down to a composed atmosphere in which the problems of Europe might be favourably tackled.

The “News Chronicle” writes that the result will be received with a sigh of relief throughout Europe.

But the figures are a warning, it points out, that unless the pressure which is crushing Germany to the dust can be soon and substantially relieved, the respite may be short. Next time there may be no Marshal Hindenburg to hold the pass.

President Hindenburg, it says, was the strongest candidate that could have been found for the causes for which he stood. He headed the poll easily in yesterday’s tremendous vote and that is significant and important. But hardly less significant, on the other hand, is the heavy vote cast for Hitler and his Nationalists, and only in a less degree the 5 million votes cast for the Communists. The first shows the real strength of the Nationalists feeling which Hitler and the somewhat sinister figures behind him have exhausted every artifice to exploit; the last, the growing power of a propaganda which thrives on the sheer misery and hopelessness of vast classes in Germany who are ready to snatch at any chance of escape from their present conditions.

The forces of common sense and order strongly led, have held their own against these rival insanities, the “News Chronicle” concludes, but hardly more than that.