politically. It is Thyssen and Krupp vs. the Otto Wolff group. The latter is part Jewish, and the
present set-up is not so good for them. Johannes believes he has friends in both camps, and I
hope he is not fooling himself. He is sailing a small ship in a stormy sea."
Robbie also gave another item of news: "Father is failing and I fear you may not find him here
when you arrive. It is no definite disease, just the slow breakdown of old age, very sad to
witness. It means heavy responsibilities for me; a situation which I prefer not to write about, but
will tell you when I see you. Write the old gentleman and assure him of your appreciation of
his kindness to you; he tries to keep his hold on all the family as well as on the business. He
forgets what I told him yesterday, but remembers clearly what happened long ago. That is
hard on me, because I caused him a great deal of unhappiness in those days, whereas of late he
had been learning to take me for what I am and make the best of it. I try not to grieve about
him, because he has had more out of life than most men, and fate neither lets us live forever
nor have our way entirely while we are here."
V
Adolf Hitler was the man who was having his own way, more than any who had lived in
modern times. He was going ahead to get the mastery of everything in Germany, government,
institutions, even cultural and social life. Every organization which stood in his way he
proceeded to break, one after another, with such speed and ruthlessness that it left the
opposition dizzy. The Nationalist party, which had fondly imagined it could control him, found
itself helpless. Papen, Vice-Chancellor, was reduced to a figurehead; Goring took his place in
control of the Prussian state. Hugenberg had several of his papers suppressed, and when he
threatened to resign from the Cabinet, no one appeared to care. One by one the Nationalist
members were forced out and Nazis replaced them. Subordinates were arrested, charged with
defalcation or what not— the Minister of Information was in position to charge anybody with
anything, and it was dangerous to answer.
On the tenth day of May there were ceremonies throughout Germany which riveted the
attention of the civilized world. Quantities of books were collected from the great library of
Berlin University, including most of the worthwhile books which had been written during the
past hundred years: everything that touched even remotely upon political, social, or sexual
problems. Some forty thousand volumes were heaped into a pile in the square between the
University and the Opera House and drenched with gasoline. The students paraded, wearing
their bright society caps and singing patriotic and Nazi songs. They solemnly lighted the pyre
and a crowd stood in a drizzling rain to watch it burn. Thus modern thought was symbolically
destroyed in the Fatherland, and a nation which had stood at the forefront of the intellectual
life would learn to do its thinking with its "blood."
On that same tenth of May the schools of Germany were ordered to begin teaching the Nazi
doctrines of "race." On that day the government confiscated all the funds belonging to the
Socialist party and turned them over to the new Nazi-controlled unions. On that day
Chancellor Hitler spoke to a Labor Congress, telling it that his own humble origin and
upbringing fitted him to understand the needs of the workers and attend to them. On that
day the correspondent of the
daughter of Scheidemann, the Socialist leader, and of a woman tennis champion who had
brought honor to Germany but who objected to the process of "co-ordinating" German sport
with Nazi propaganda. Finally, on that day there was a parade of a hundred thousand persons
down Broadway in New York, protesting against the treatment of German Jews.
VI
The members of the Budd family in Bienvenu and in Paris were packing and getting ready for a
year's absence from home. What should they take and what leave behind? Everything that was
going on board the yacht had to be marked for the cabins or the hold. What was to be sent
from Paris to Bienvenu was left in charge of Jerry Pendleton, who would see to its packing and
unpacking. The ex-tutor and ex-lieutenant had saved most of his year's salary, and would go
back to the
a year to the munitions king—for the spirits of the Budds and Dingles appeared to have said their
say, whereas the Duquesa Marqueni was still going strong. Bub Smith was to escort the
priceless little Frances to the yacht and see her safely on board; then he would take a steamer
and return to his job in Newcastle, until such time as the baby should arrive in the land of the
gangsters and the home of the kidnapers.
The expedition from Bienvenu arrived in Paris by train: Hansi and Bess; Beauty and her
husband; Marceline and her governess— the former nearly sixteen, an elegant young lady, but
