1. Read the article below and use the Boxed Tables.

B. Using the August, 19, 1934 data in Box 1 as the population data, Examine the data in

[From NY Times, Website: August 20, 2000] This event took place on August 19, 1934, and was reported in The New York Times on the following day.

Hitler Endorsed by 9 to 1 in Poll on his

Dictatorship, but Opposition Is Doubled

Absolute Power Is Won

38,279,514 Vote Yes, 4,287,808 No on Uniting Offices

871,056 Ballots Spoiled

Negative Count Is Larger in Districts of Business Men and Intellectuals

Hamburg Has 20% Noes

Reich Bishop at Victory Fete Says Hitler's Anti-Semitism Is Fight for Christianity

By FREDERICK T. BIRCHALL

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES

B

erlin, Monday, Aug. 20 -- Eighty-nine and nine-tenths

per cent of the German voters endorsed in yesterday's

plebiscite Chancellor Hitler's assumption of greater

power than has ever been possessed by any other ruler in modern

times. Nearly 10 per cent indicated their disapproval. The result

was expected.

The German people were asked to vote whether

they approved the consolidation of the offices of

President and Chancellor in a single

Leader-Chancellor personified by Adolf Hitler. By

every appeal known to skillful politicians and with

every argument to the contrary suppressed, they

were asked to make their approval unanimous.

Nevertheless 10 per cent of the voters have

admittedly braved possible consequences by

answering "No" and nearly [text unreadable] made

their answers, ineffective by spoiling the simplest

of ballots. There was a plain short question and

two circles, one labeled "Yes" and the other "No,"

in one of which the voter had to make a cross. Yet

there were nearly 1,000,000 spoiled ballots.

38,279,514 Vote "Yes."

The results given out by the Propaganda Ministry

early this morning show that out of a total vote of

43,438,378, cast by a possible voting population

of more than 45,000,000, there were 38,279,514

who answered "Yes," 4,287,808 who answered

"No" and there were 871,056 defective ballots.

Thus there is an affirmative vote of almost 90 per

cent of the valid votes and a negative vote of

nearly 10 per cent exclusive of the spoiled ballots

which may or may not have been deliberately

rendered defective.

How Chancellor Hitler's vote declined is shown by

a comparison with the result of the Nov. 12

plebiscite on leaving the Disarmament Conference

and the League of Nations. The tabulation follows:

. . . . .

These results therefore show that the number of

Germans discontented with Chancellor Hitler's

course is increasing but is not yet seriously

damaging to it. He is the Fuehrer [leader] of the

Reich with absolute power by the vote of almost

90 per cent of the Germans in it but the number of

dissentients has doubled since the last test.

It is not yet a matter for international concern but

there are other considerations which may be.

Dictatorship Now Complete

The endorsement gives Chancellor Hitler, who

four years ago was not even a German citizen,

dictatorial powers unequaled in any other country,

and probably unequaled in history since the days

of Genghis Khan. He has more power than Joseph

Stalin in Russia, who has a party machine to

reckon with; more power than Premier Mussolini

of Italy who shares his prerogative with the titular

ruler; more than any American President ever

dreamed of.

No other ruler has so widespread power nor so obedient and compliant

subordinates. The question that interests the outside world now is what

Chancellor Hitler will do with such unprecedented authority.

Nazi opinion is not disposed to be altogether cheerful about the result. When

one high official was asked by this correspondent to comment on it he said:

"Obviously we feel the effects of June 30."

He referred to the execution of Ernst Roehm and other Storm Troops chiefs.

That is also the opinion of many other Germans, especially among the more

substantial classes. They interpret the result as the beginning of a protest

against the rule of arbitrary will and as an effort to force Chancellor Hitler

back to the rule of law.

In their view the vote may induce the Fuehrer to steer henceforth a more

moderate course and take account of the sensibilities of general opinion.

Some of the more optimistic even hope it may induce him to get rid of some

of his radical advisers to whom the opposition within Germany is great.

This view, however, is not shared generally and the dissent is borne out by the

remark of a Nazi official who said bitterly, "We have become too soft."

Ex-Marxists Support Hitler

A feature of the election was that former Marxists cast a far heavier vote for

Chancellor Hitler than the so-called bourgeoisie. In Berlin especially, judging

by their vote, former Communists still are Leader Hitler's most loyal followers.

In the Communist districts protest votes with Communist inscriptions were

rare. In Western Berlin they were more frequent. In one district five ballots

had the name "Thaelmann" written in. [Ernst Thaelmann is an imprisoned

Communist leader.] One ballot contained this inscription, "Since nothing has

happened to me so far I vote 'Yes.'" It was signed "Non-Aryan."

Hamburg Leads Opposition

Hamburg, which only two days ago gave Herr Hitler the most enthusiastic

reception he had ever received anywhere, led the country in the opposition

vote. The official figures were: Total vote cast, 840,000; "Yes," 651,000;

"No," 168,000; invalidated ballots, 21,000.

The "No" vote, in other words was 20 per cent of the total vote. Counting the

invalid ballots as negative in intent, the total opposition votes exceeded 22 per

cent. The percentage of the electorate voting was 92.4.

Hamburg is the home city of Ernst Thaelmann and on his triumphant entry into

the city on Friday, Herr Hitler made it a point to drive past herr Thaelmann's

former home.

As far as observers could ascertain, the election everywhere was conducted

with perfect propriety, and secrecy of the ballot was safe-guarded. The

ballots were marked in regular election booths and placed in envelopes and

these were put in the ballot boxes. After the voting had ended the ballot box

was emptied on a large table and the vote was counted publicly in the regular

manner. Appraising of individual votes seemed impossible.

One check on possible non-voters, however, was exercised by instructions

that the voting authorizations issued to those who for one reason or another

planned to be outside their regular voting district on election day must be

returned unless used. The number of such authorizations issued for this

election exceeded anything known before.

Throughout the day Storm Troopers stood before each polling place with

banners calling on the voters to vote "Yes." Otherwise voters remained

unmolested. Inside the polling places uniforms and even party emblems had

been forbidden, but the execution of this order was lax. In some apparently

doubtful districts brown uniforms dominated the scene as a warning to

would-be opponents.

Nazis Try for Record Vote

All past efforts in getting out the German vote were eclipsed in this election.

During Saturday night a huge final poster was plastered on billboards

everywhere. It said:

Your leader [Hitler] has traveled 1,500,000 kilometers by airplane, railway

and motor car in the cause of Germany's rebirth. You have but to walk 100

meters to your voting booth to vote "yes."

All over Germany means were taken to get the Sunday late-sleeping

population out of bed early. The polls opened at 8 o'clock, but in Berlin

Storm Troops, Hitler Youth Troops and Nazi labor union groups took to the

streets as early as 6 o'clock to wake the populace by shouting at them to do

their duty

Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company