MILITARY RULE APPLIED

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24371, 25 September 1944, Page 5

MILITARY RULE APPLIED

OCCUPIED GERMAN TERRITORY LONDON. Sept. 22. The first laws of the Allied Military Government are now operating in Allied-occupied Germany. A series of laws under which German citizens must surrender all firearms, also radio transmitting equipment, has been promulgated. German civilians can travel within the occupied area or across the borders only ,at the discretion of the military authorities. The Military Government will take into custody all Nazi Party funds, property, records, and equipment from party administrators, who are directed to remain at their posts under penalty of death until an exchange is effected. All laws permitting privileges to the National Socialist Party and its members, and the law placing the Nazi Party above the authority of the law are abolished. The law for the protection of German blood and honour (one of the discriminatory Nuremburg racial laws) has also been abolished. The Reich citizenship law denying citizenship to non-Germans is dissolved, and the Hitler Youth law requiring membership of the organisation, also the laws protecting the Nazi symbols, uniforms, and flag are abolished. The law preventing the establishment of political parlies apart from the National Socialist Party is also dissolved. The regular civil, criminal, and administrative Courts are suspended, and the Nazi Party Courts are dissolved. The Allies will control the post and telegraph service, and establish a censorship. Any German who acts as a spy for the enemy, who aids the Nazis, who engages in looting or pillaging, who is guilty of sabotage or the theft of Allied war material, or who deliberately misleads the Allies, will suffer the death penalty. English is established as the official language in all matters relating to the military government of Germany. GERMAN AMMUNITION DEFECTIVE (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 23. A report has come into Allied possession of an investigation of German ammunition on the Western Front, in which a German battery commander claimed that 1312 of 4372 rounds inspected were defective. A practice shoot on July 13 revealed that one of every two rounds was useless. BELGIAN GOVERNMENT RESIGNS LONDON, Sept. 22. The Brussels radio states that the Pierlot Cabinet has resigned. This is in accordance with M. Pierlofs undertaking. Prisoners Taken at Boulogne.—The number of prisoners taken at Boulogne now exceeds 9000. The total strength of the garrison is claimed to have been 11,000.— London, Sept. 23. v