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The chauffeur, knowing that Herr Hitler only wanted to ride to the Kaiserhof Hotel 200 yards away, threatened the crowd by racing his engine in neutral, produced an impressive 180 h. p. roar. Gingerly, while police struggled with the cheering crowd, the chauffeur let his clutch part way in. pressed the Mercedes' muzzle against the good-humored crowd which very gradually gave way. The car managed to cover the 200 yards in 15 minutes.
Inside the Kaiserhof, Leader Hitler tried to ignore the yells of a crowd which grew larger every minute. The police telephoned a request. They could not restore order, they said, unless Herr Hitler would show himself. He refused to come out. Again the police telephoned. Finally, amid plaudits worthy of an emperor, the Nazi Chief appeared on a balcony, saluted in Fascist fashion, turned smartly about and marched indoors. The crowds, satisfied after their brief glimpse of Adolf Hitler's brown Charlie Chaplin mustache, dispersed cheering.
What Had Happened? President von Hindenburg, according to his entourage, did not entrust Herr Hitler with an official mandate to form a Cabinet as Chancellor, did authorize him to confer with party leaders and report back to the President whether a Cabinet having a majority in the Reichstag could be formed. This left completely open the question of who should be Chancellor.
Leaks from the Nazi camp indicated that Leader Hitler tried to persuade the President to accept him as Chancellor chiefly by arguing that the Fascist party is now Germany's "sole bulwark against proletarianism." This argument, not mere Hitler claptrap, had strong elements of fact. Earlier in the week Dr. Paul Lobe, long considered a most moderate Socialist, Speaker of the Reichstag, with one short interlude, for twelve years (1920-32), made a pivotal speech. Seconded by other Socialist leaders, he called on the Socialist Party (Germany's second largest) to unite with the Communist Party (third largest) in a "solid proletarian front!"
Obviously the sole parliamentary bulwark against so potent a pink & red front would be the Nazi brownshirts (largest party) supported by a coalition of the small, moderate centre parties and by Dr. Alfred Hugenberg's rampant Nationalists —who in fact are Monarchists.
Over the week-end Oberst Goring, acting for Leader Hitler who wished to avoid possible rebuffs, contacted secretly the leaders of all parties which might be expected to come into coalition except Dr. Alfred Hugenberg, "Hearst of Germany."
Standing on his dignity. Dr. Hugenberg refused to meet Oberst Goring, said he would meet Leader Hitler. This was no mean concession. Up to last week the Hugenberg Press had been flaying the Nazis, calling Herr Hitler names.
In Government circles reports that General-leutnant Kurt von Schleicher had secretly conferred a second time with Leader Hitler were not denied. President von Hindenburg asked Herr Hitler to report to him a day earlier than had been planned. They talked for 15 minutes and the President officially authorized the Fascist leader to try to form a Cabinet as Chancellor, but on "seven conditions" which were not made public. For the first time in his blatant, meteoric career Adolf Hitler was "getting warm." Stocks on the Berlin exchange, which eased when the von Papen Cabinet resigned, firmed again and began to rise.
"Presidial