Source: New York Times, March 31, 1934
BERLIN, March 30.—Chancellor Adolf Hitler declines to surround himself with "zeros," even at the risk of having occasional squabbles in his political family. This he said frankly today in an intimate chat.
"It is sometimes said with reference to the men most closely associated with you that they are contriving to take your place," his interviewer remarked. "Of one of your most prominent colleagues, for instance, it is sometimes claimed that he tries to thwart your purposes."
The Chancellor's face lighted up. Images of various men who have been his close co-fighters seemed to pass in review, and he was evidently pleased at the picture conjured up in his mind's eye.
"I know you are asking this question for the sake of clarifying my relations with my co-workers, and not because you yourself doubt their fidelity," he said simply. "For it would be nothing short of an insult to think any men who have stood with me year after year are being animated by any desire to supplant me.
Praises Associates' Fidelity
"The world has never seen a more striking example of unquestioning fidelity than shown by my associates. The reason, perhaps, why such stories arise lies in the fact that I have associated myself, not with zeros, but with real men. Zeros are round, hence they are the first to begin to roll and tumble when adversity comes.
"The men about me are four-square and upstanding men—each of them of a powerful personality, each of them a man with will and ambition. If they had no ambition, they would not be where they are today. I welcome ambition. When you have a group of powerful personalities, it is inevitable that occasionally friction is produced.
"But never yet have any men who follow my leadership sought to impose their will upon mine. On the contrary, they have adapted themselves marvellously to my every desire."
On international relations the Chancellor said: "The antiquated diplomatic method of exchanging notes finds a telling condemnation in the fact that, despite the efforts of diplomats, the nations in 1914 slipped into the most gigantic war in history; although I am convinced the diplomats themselves were the most surprised when the war broke out.
"I believe heartily in the man-to-man discussions of responsible statesmen. One thing that every representative of a foreign power will find in dealing with me is that I speak with absolute frankness and never place my demands higher with the idea of compromising for less.
Wants Signature to Count
"I declare only just what Germany is prepared to do. When I state we need an army of 300,000 men, I don't propose afterwards to come down to 250,000. I want Germany's signature to mean something again.
"And under no circumstances— under no circumstances" he repeated the words with emotion, "will I submit to dictation! When I am convinced that a certain course is the only one and the right one for my nation, I intend to pursue it, come what may.
"I will do what I do openly, I will not, for example, pretend outwardly to accept 150,000 men as a basis for our army and then secretly arm another 150,000."
With crisp, precise words he explained why.
"We want to put our resources to productive purposes. We want to get our jobless back to work. Next, we want to raise the living standards of everybody.
"We want to drain our swamps and improve our unproductive lands, try to make our nation self-sustaining, enable the farmer to get the maximum out of his land and the manufacturer and industrial worker the maximum out of his industry, devise artificial means for supplying what our country may lack in the way of raw materials.
Declares Security Essential
"When we build roads, when we dig canals, when we drain swamps, erect dikes and construct locks, we are doing things which are constructive. things which may well absorb all our energy.
"But as one responsible for the welfare of my country, I cannot have Germany exposed to the possibility that some neighbour may invade us or drop bombs over our industrial plants or embark upon a so-called preventive war just to distract attention from troubles at home.
"It is for this purpose, and for this purpose only, that we want an army adequate for self-defence."
The Chancellor was asked whether in trying to give work to all he would be content to spread out employment so that everybody would have at least a minimum income and nobody would get a large income.
"Quite the contrary," he replied emphatically. "As the first step, I must avoid the scourge of unemployment. But, once the people are back at work, their purchasing power will naturally increase. From there it is but another step to improving the living standards.
"I approve the American idea of not equalizing everybody but graduating life as if it were like a ladder. There must be a possibility, however, for everybody to climb that ladder."