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

NOW I HAVE THEM IN MY POCKET! 433issued a public statement, placing herself on the side of Germany in thedisarmament question: peace, she declared, depended on generaldisarmament, and disarmament 'requires the unqualified admission ofthe principle of complete equality of states to each participator in theconference [of disarmament], whether a great or a small power.'In all this clamoring for equality by disarmament a silent threat washidden. If Germany could not reach equality by general disarmament,then there was only one way left: equality by German rearmament.Amid the blackest domestic misery, Germany was struggling tobecome a respected power in the crumbling council of nations. Bruningaccepted Hitler's line, that foreign success must be based on unity andstrength at home, and invited Hitler to reach an understanding with thegovernment. Groener wrote his memorandum on Germany's equality ofarmaments in the first days of January, shortly before Bruningannounced the definite end of reparations. Germany took a deep breath,and tried to gather strength. Hitler paced the floor of the editorial officesof the Volkischer Beobachter in Munich; with him were Hess,Rosenberg, and Wilhelm Weiss, one of the editors. A telegram wasbrought to Hitler. It was signed Groener and requested his presence at aconference in Berlin. Hitler hastily read the wire, thrust the paper underthe nose of all those present, and uttered a purr of triumph like acontented beast of prey. By turns, he brought his face close to Hess's,Rosenberg's, and Weiss's, stared in their eyes, with little cries of, 'Hey . .. hey . . . hey . . .' — as if he wanted to say: 'You see ? You see ? ... Herewe are, at last.' Then he brought down his fist on the telegram and cried:'Now I have them in my pocket! They have recognized me as a partnerin their negotiations.'