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

664 DER FUEHRERNot by building of air fleets, but by building new housing, didNational Socialism begin to revive German economic life and obtain asolid and lasting popularity. Foreign observers, it can well beunderstood, were more impressed by the millions of S.A. men in newuniforms. Scarcely anyone was willing to believe that the S.A. was notthe coming German army, though it happened to be true. When Rohm,in an interview at the beginning of October, gave assurance that the S.A.was not an army but a new religion — 'as the early Christians werebearers and warriors of their new view of life, Christianity' — to mostpeople it sounded absurd, though actually the thought behind his wordswas more ominous than any warlike threat. Hitler was grieved at foreignsuspicions; with righteous indignation he asked visitors what in theworld led foreigners to think he wanted war. 'I have a long domestictask before me,' he said to Ferdinand de Brinon, his French visitor, inthe beginning of November. 'I shall need years to reach my goal. Doyou think that I want to destroy my work by a new war?' Brinon publishedthis and similar utterances in the Paris Matin, which Hitler hadformerly called a hotbed of Jewish lies and which actually was in asense the organ of the Jewish bourgeoisie of France. Hitler had also saidthat if he wanted peace, all Germany wanted peace, for 'I alone decideon German policy, and if I give my word, I am accustomed to keep it.'De Brinon remarked that Ward Price, Lord Rothermere's correspondentin Germany and his unofficial ambassador to Hitler, had called Hitlersincere, and, he added, Ward Price was right.Strange how these foreign observers, themselves half-Fascist at heart,loved to speculate about Hitler's 'sincerity.' As though he could havebeen lying when he maintained that he needed many years more timefor his internal reconstruction! The German people needed time to adaptthemselves to a far-reaching social upheaval. The National Socialisteconomic policy meant a return to work for millions; for even moremillions it meant the final liberation from the fear of losing tomorrowthe little employment they still retained. The state now seemed able toprotect its people from starvation; mankind seemed to have risen onestep — that is the feeling which the National Socialist revolution gaveto many people.