From The Times: February 24, 1924
The trial of General Ludendorff, Herr Hitler, and seven associates, on a charge of high treason for their connexion with the extreme Nationalist Putsch in Munich on November 8 and 9 last, is expected to begin on Tuesday, February 26.
The reaction in favour of Hitler and Ludendorff, which began straight after the failure of their attempt to seize power in Bavaria, has steadily increased, until today, if a plebiscite were to be taken in Bavaria on the question whether Hitler should be released and Herr von Kahr (Dictator at the time of the Putsch) arraigned instead on a charge of treachery, there is no doubt that at least 80 per cent of the population would vote in Hitler’s favour.
For the last three months a persistent and unscrupulous propaganda campaign, backed by considerable financial resources, has been carried on by adherents of Hitler and Ludendorff. No fewer than three new daily newspapers have appeared, whose sole purpose appears to be to vilify Herr von Kahr, General von Lossow, the Reichswehr commander, and those instrumental in suppressing the revolt.
A somewhat injudicious counter-attack on Ludendorff by an anonymous writer was immediately replied to by a professor of law at Munich University, who deliberately attempted to prejudge the case. He accused Herr von Kahr, not only of treason against the State, but of the grossest treachery in breaking the pledge that he had given to Hitler and Ludendorff. This pamphlet was suppressed by Herr von Kahr’s orders, but as a large number of copies had been distributed gratis, the mischief had already been done.
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Field-Marshal von Hindenburg has published a letter in answer to requests that he should intervene to prevent his former colleague Ludendorff from standing trial. He acknowledges that the trial will be painful to every patriotic German, but has decided that interference with the administration of justice is impossible in a political community. He does not believe that Ludendorff himself would welcome any attempt to secure him special privileges, in view of his straightforward character, and is confident that an unprejudiced examination by a Court of law will prove that every one of his actions was prompted by ardent and disinterested patriotism.
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