A PRIEST'S NATIONALITY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16848, 31 May 1920, Page 7

A PRIEST'S NATIONALITY.

A PEELING HT SYDNEY. (J3y Cable—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cabl© Association..) (Received May 31st, 1.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, May 30. During the war the Rev. _ Father Jerger, a Roman Catholic priest, was placed in the German internment campBeyond the fact of his being of German nationality, other reasons, if any existed, were not disclosed. The Roman Catholic Church authorities at the time made an ineffective protest against the internment of the p 1 lost. The fixing of Father Jerger's deportation for a date early in June revived the ease, and led to strong protests from Catholic societies. and representation# to the Federal authorities not to carry the deportation ino effect. Among others the Lord Mayor, A'derman Fitzgerald, lias taken a prominent part in the movement. A deputation was sent to Melbourne to interview Mr Hughes to urge non-deportation before Father Jerger was given an open trial, and in support of this a demonstration was arranpod for to-day in Moore Park. The agitation has led to much heart-burning and Press correspondence against_ any casing of the treatment against "Germans, or allowing the religious aspect to interfere in the case. This led to the Returned Soldiers' and Sailors' Association organising a tion in the Park, with a view of impressing on the Federal Government the necessity of not relaxing the regulations for the deportation of Germans or permitting "anything savouring of disloyalty. One hundred and fifty thousand people attended the meetings. Th"> snonkors against deportation included Mr J. T. Ryan, the Lord Mayor, and the Attorney-General. After carrying a resolution in favour of deportation, the soldiers counted the other meeting out, rushod tbo platform, waving Union Jacks, arid rolled the Speakers off. They in turn were attacked, the proceedings at on© time verging on a serious riot.