A NAZI LEADER TALKS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21146, 23 April 1934, Page 11

A NAZI LEADER TALKS

MORE PUNISHMENT

FOR COMMUNISTS

LEADERS TO BE TRIED

COMPLAINT AKOL'T ENGLISH | I CRITICISM (united it.kss association— i:y euxtiuc j TElXliKAl'll —COI'YIUUHT.) (Received April 22, 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, April 20. | General Wilhelm Goering. Herr Hitler's chief lieutenant, in an interview in Berlin, said he would like to revisit England, where he had often been since the war, and where lie had enjoyed He could not understand why the English newspapers represented him as a "bloodthirsty pig." He declared that since the death penalty had been reinforced, the percentage of murders and other crimes in Germany had dropped tremendously.

Speaking of the air service, as Minister for Air, he declared that Germany had no military machines, but that he would always demand them and always discuss Germany s air defence. She could not be blamed for taking at least the most primitive measures ol air protection. "I had ii 2,500.000 lor bomb-prooi buildings, air defence training, and lire brigades," he said, "but that is onlv a traction of our requirements. "The chief difficulty about disarmament is not German rearmament, but that France is armed to the teeth and will not surrender anything." Communism, though almost wiped out, could not be abolished m Germany while it was supported in other countries, he said, its danger should not be under-estimated because a surprise might be forthcoming. Communists were becoming increasingly active, because of the mildness of punishment in concentration camps. There were between 6000 and 7000 inmates of these camps, nearly all communists, and he had decided on new drastic measures. Herr Ernst Torglcr, (who was acquitted on a charge of setting fire to the Reichstag), Herr Thaelmann (former leader of the Communist party) and other leaders would not be released because their trials on treason charges were pending. "I remain in supreme command of the police, and am not aware of any opposition to me in the Nazi party," said General Goering. "The church disputes disgust me. but if they trouble the State I shall rap the fingers of the leaders, whether they are Evangelicals or Roman Catholics."

HITLER'S JJIUTHDAY CELEBRATED BERLIN, April 20. Though Herr Hitler spent his birthday quietly at Burghtcsgaden. flags were (lying everywhere, and the streets were thronged with cheering crowds. CHURCH ACTIVITY AMONG YOUNG MEN (Received April 22, ».14 p.m.) BERLIN, April 21. A concordat between the German Young Men's Christian Association and the Evangelical Church permits the former to continue as a separate organisation, confining its activities to" propagating the gospel among young men of U» and older. Those who are vounger will remain under the care of the Hitler Youth Movement.