Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

578 DER FUEHRERcannot lead us to tolerate those who despise the law as a matter ofprinciple; we cannot surrender the nation to these people' — if here, asso often, he cloaked a grim announcement in a phrase of artificialbanality, in the next sentence he became quite frank: 'Equality beforethe law will be granted to all those who stand behind the nation and donot deny the government their support.' But those who deny thegovernment their support have, as Hitler had stated earlier, 'no rightswhatever.' Then came the conclusion, for the sake of which the wholespeech was made: 'The government offers the parties an opportunity fora peaceful German development and for the future conciliation that cangrow out of it. But it is equally determined and ready to take up anychallenge of rejection and resistance. Now, gentlemen, you yourselvesmay make your decision: will it be peace or war?'War was Hitler's last word, his eternal war against the other half ofthe people. In the galleries, in the corridors between the deputies'benches, stood S.S. and S.A. men with pistols at their belts. Goring, inhis president's chair, looked out over the hall through binoculars asthough prepared at any moment to command: 'Fire!' Otto Wels, leaderof the Social Democrats, explained why his party would vote against thedictatorship law; it was a clear speech of rejection, but between Goring'sbinoculars and the pistols of the S.A., Wels no longer dared to say whatwas happening in the country and how the masses really felt. The S.A.had ceased to limit its acts of violence to Communists and Socialists;already they were invading courthouses, dragging out Jewish lawyersand thrashing them through the streets. Protests had been raised abroad;refugees had reported some of the atrocities; Hitler roared at Wels thatthe Social Democratic International was helping to spread these lies —he actually called them lies. Kaas explained why the Center, despite allits misgivings, would vote for the government's dictatorial powers. Herecalled Hitler's promises, and all the National Socialists applauded. Afew small splinter parties made dejected speeches for the affirmative.And then the mutilated Reichstag submitted, avoiding war. The attitudeof the Center was decisive; with 441 against 94 Social Democrats thelaw was passed. The National Socialist fraction jumped up and sang theHorst Wessel song.