INTERNED GERMAN PRIEST

Evening Star, Issue 17366, 31 May 1920, Page 4

INTERNED GERMAN PRIEST

CONFLICT OVER, DEPORTATION

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

„ . SYDNEY, May 50. During the war lather Jerger, a Roman Catholic priest, was placed in a German internment camp. Beyond the fact of his being of German nationality, other rea--5? ns > an y existed,' were not disclosed. 1-ie Roman Catholic Church authorities at the time made an ineffective protest against the internment of the priest. Ihe fixing ot Father Jcrger’s deportation for a date early in June revived the case, and led to strong protests from Roman Catholic societies and representations being made to the Federal authorities not to carry the deportation into effect Among others, the Lord Mavor of Sydney (Alderman Fitzgerald) has taken a prominent part in the movement. A deputation was sent to Melbourne to interview Mr W. M. Hughes (Federal Prime Minister) to urge that, before Father Jerger was deported, lie should be given an open trial, and in support of this a demonstration was arranged' for to-day in Moore Park.

*1 be agitation has led to much heartand Press correspondence against the easing of the treatment against Germans, or allowing the religious aspect to interfere in the case.

This agitation led to the Returned SoU •hers and Sailors Association organising a counter-demonstration in the park, with a ol impressing on the Federal Government the necessity of not relaxing the regulations for the deportation of° Germans or permitting anything savoring of disloyalty. A hundred and fifty thousand people attended the meetings, the speakers against the deportation including Mr Ryan, M.H.R., the Lord (Mavor, and the New South Wales Attorney-General. After carrying a resolution in favor of deportation the soldiers counted the other meeting out. They then rushed the platform, waving Union Jacks, and rolled the speakers off. They in turn.,were attacked, the proceedings at one time verging on a serious riot.