IN GOERING'S EYES

Evening Star, Issue 25742, 15 March 1946, Page 5

IN GOERING'S EYES

PARTY RIGHTS AND WRONJSS DEBASING INFLUENCE OF JEWS SPANISH WAR TRAINING GROUND FOR LUFTWAFFE (Rec. 12.40 p.m.) NUREMBERG, March 14. When the War Crimes Trial resumed to-day, Goering's counsel, Dr Stahmer, asked Goering what he understood by the expression, " master race." Goering said: "I do not understand anything. You will not find the expression in any of my writings. You are either master or not, and you do not need to advertise it.' 1 Asked about the dissolution of trade unions, Goering said that they were closely connected with .the Communist Party and did not fit into the new State. They were dissolved and the German Workers' Front created t which gave full freedom. The Nazi Party raised the workers' standard of living. Describing the smashing of ths Roehm revolt, Goering said while he was preparing to move against Roehm groups in Northern Germany, Hitler went to Bavaria personally and arrested Roehm and others. The raid on Roehm's rooms iu Berlin disclosed more machine-guns than the whole Prussian police force possessed. The number of victims in the IRoehm putsch had been exaggerated so far as he could remember. There were 72 to 76. The majority were executed in Southern Germany. Goering said he deeply regretted the death of people who had t nothing to do with the Roehm putsch. He contended that the killing of General Kurt von Schleicher and his wife was a sad mistake. He said von Schleicher reached for a pistol, possibly to kill himself, whereupon two agents who had come to arrest him raised their revolvers. Frau von Schleicher threw herself against one of them and the agent's pistol went off.

GENEROSITY TO CHURCH. Dealing with the Nazi Party attitude to the Church, Goering said the Fuhrer was absolutely generous and recognised the need for churches. Though Hitler was a Catholic he wished for a stronger position for the Protestant Church because two-thirds of the Germans were Protestant.

Speaking personally, Goering said he was a leader of the Lutheran Church in Prussia, but he had close relations with the IRoman Catholic Church. Both Hitler and himself believed that the Church and politics should be separated. A number of clergy were sent to concentration camps oecause they made political speeches in the churches. He tried to check Himmler from sentencing the clergy except when they criticised the party and State outside the church besides inside.

Goering spoke lengthily about the Jews. He argued that Jewry almost exclusively led the entire economic field after the 1914-18 war. They also debased German art and culture. Goering claimed that the pogrom against the Jews in Munich in November, 1938, was incited by Goebbels. Questioned about the laws and restrictions against the Jews. Goering declared: " I had my orders from the Fuhrer in connection with these laws. I assume full and complete responsibility for any laws bearing my signature. I do not propose to hide behind the Fuhrer." Defending the policy of rearmament, Goering said Germany knew Russia and other countries were rearming. It was essential for Germany to do the same in the interests of her security. TRAINING GROUND FOR WAR. ' Goering told the tribunal: " When the Spanish civil war broke out General Franco sent a call to Germany for support, particularly in the air. I urged that the Fuhrer give support to prevent the spread of Communism in that theatre, also to prime our young air force. With the permission of the Fuhrer I sent transports, fighters, and bombers to Spain. I saw to it that the personnel got some experience. The young men continually went and returned." Goering claimed that the Luftwaffe was responsible for the swift conquest of Poland. He confirmed that he had demanded that the Nazi aircraft industry should develop a bomber capable of flying to the United States and back, and that the work should be done expeditiously in case America entered the war. , The Luftwaffe was developing jetpropelled aircraft even before the war.

"I was solely responsible for the rearmament of the air force in every wav," Goering declared. PRE-MUNICH EVENTS. Describing the events leading to tho Munich meeting with Mr Neville Chamberlain, Goering explained that Hitler discontinued Cabinet meetings in 1937, after which he consulted only the Ministers whose direct participation was necessary for major moves. * I swear, under oath, that some of the Ministers learned of the entry into war, as well as the inarch into Czechoslovakia and into Austria, as late as anv citizen or the Press." Goering said that in 1937 he told Lord Halifax, then British Foreign Secretary, that the annexation of Austria and the solution of the Sudetenland. and Danzig Corridor problems would remain German political aims under all circumstances. Beta of us agreed that all efforts should be made without resorting to force. . Goering persuaded Hitler not to accept a vague deal fay British and French circles giving Germany a free hand in Austria in return for German sanctions anairat Italy, at the time of the Ethiopian c r, *' s ; Cautious investigation showed that these western circles were not backed up by their Governments. Goering told how the Italian Ambassador brouaht him a messag* from Mussolini offering to mediate for peace, and suggesting a meeting between Hitler, Chamberlain, 'Daladier, Mussolini, and Goering. As a result the Munich conference was arranged. He was sincerely happy. Everything went so well. Concerning the Austrian anscMuss, Goering said: "I must take. fall responsibilitv for all the hapoenings 100 per cent. * It was not the Fuhrer. bat mvself, who directed the speed at which it was carried out. I even overruled the Fuhrer."