Vernon Bartlett writes: Hess was more interested in the Party than in politics with a capital "P."  As Hitler's substitute he has had great influence over the younger Nazis. Those who were jealous of him sometimes called him "the ski instructor" because of his keen interest in physical fitness and his enthusiasm for courage. In other words, he was - perhaps still is - the best representative of the more upright and idealistic among the younger Nazis.

It would therefore be impossible to exaggerate the significance of his flight from Germany. Captain Roehm, with all his obvious faults, had shown great interest in the organization of the Brown Shirts. His murder, on the notorious 30th of June, shook the fabric of the Nazi system as much as the murder of Matteoti, the Italian Socialist leader, menaced the Fascist regime.

But Hess is not dead, and despite the Nazi efforts to discredit him, the very fact that he has come over to Britain will strengthen German doubts of victory as nothing else, except, Hitler's own suicide, could do.

Nobody could doubt the sincerity of this man with deep-set blue eyes and dark, curly hair. One may hate the ideas of which he has for so long been one of the champions, but the renunciation of these ideas will leave Hitler with such men as Goering, who planned the Reichstag fire in order to destroy his political enemies: Goebbels, who has never hesitated to broadcast the most revolting lies: Himmler, whose secret police have turned millions of decent individuals all over Europe into cringing and pathetic cowards: Ley, who has robbed the workers of their savings, has destroyed their trade union protection and has then had the nerve to talk of a "new order"; and insolence have made him one of the most despised men in the world.

PEACE PLAN POSSIBILITY

Under such leaders the Germans, more than ever before, will ask themselves whether they are, in fact, fighting for freedom.

To all this one must add the possibility that Hess is here with Hitler's knowledge and, indeed, on Hitler's orders. His visit may quite possibly be a dramatic method of presenting the peace proposals which may keen observers have suggested are on the way.

Should this be so, one can only express interest that Hitler should have sent to Britain so important a hostage.

The wreckage of the plane in which Hess flew to Britain.

In the foreground is one of the crashed wings

of the ME 110. Hess baled out with his parachute. 

As reported by News Chronicle

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