REICHSTAG FIRE TRIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 October 1933, Page 2

REICHSTAG FIRE TRIAL

evidence for defence.

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

BERLIN, October 13. Wendt, a night porter, further shook the prosecution’s case, in the Reichstag fire trial, he supporting lorgler s alibi by giving evidence that he telephoned to the Communist Party at S 20 p.m. at the request of Torglei, who, 'with Keener and Fraulein Reythme, left the building at 8.3 d p m without hurry, and certainly gave no impression that they were fleeing, which had been one of the prosecutor’s allegations. Wendt then related a surprising story of an unnamed Deputy who left the Reichstag at 10 p.m., when the fire was at its height. Showing his Deputy’s card, he returned a quarter of an hour later to get something he'had forgotten. He (Wendt) refused him admission, and referred him to a policeman. Wendt added that the Deputy, whose name no one in the court inquired about, had not entered earlier by his door. Alexander Scranowitz, House Inspector at the Reichstag, giving evidence, denied he sent the staff home early as Communists hd alleged. He added that when he entered the burning eßichstag, he stamped out smouldering carpets. He visited' the burning restaurant, and went to the session chamber, where curtains were blazing, while flames were emerging from the reporters’ box. Forty small fires, all of a similar shape and size, were burning in various parts of the floor, this leading him (Scranowitz) later to declare his conviction that one person cauld not have caused such a fire in the time available. Scranowitz denied being a Nazi. He said the Reichstag staff was not changed before the fire. He added that he found a burning torch, which was interesting in view of Van der Lubbe’s confession, which referred only to fire lighters.

FOREIGN LAWYERS EXPELLED.

BERLIN, October 14

Proceedings at the Reichstag fire trial opened sensationally to-day. President Buenger ordere'd the expulsion of four foreign lawyers who were watching the case on behalf of the Bulgarians, because the lawyers wrote a letter protesting against Dimitroff’s expulsion from the court, saying: — “Dimitroff’s experiences in the hands of the police and the examining officers have been such that he could hardly have any other feeling than •scorn and contempt for German officials and German justice.” President Buenger characterised this as a monstrous slander. The foreign lawyers after police examination were expelled from Germany. They are Leo Gallagher, an American; Willard, a Frenchman; and Detcheff and Gregoroff, Bulgarians. LATER. The German Government has cancelled its expulsion of Mr Leo Gallagher. He was specifically invited' to the trial by Torgler’s counsel.

JEWS AS GERMANS.

BERLIN, October 13.

“A German Jew is a German by feeling and instinct, and will regard it as a sacred duty to work for Germany’s welfare, whether or not his sincerity is appreciated,” declared Dr. Max Naumann, addressing the Association of German Jews.

He added that the German Jews differed from the Jewish immigrants to Germany. All of the sufferings through which they had recently passed did not remove the fact that German Jew’s were part of the German people. Their Association would energetically protest against foreigners interfering in German affairs. The Chief of Police in Upper Silesia has issued a proclamation giving a warning that anybody insulting Jew’s will be sent to a concentration camp. This is the consequence of reports that Jews had repeatedly been insulted and beaten at night.

SMALL STATES MERGE.

BERLIN, October 13.

The first step to the complete unification of Germany has been taken by the union of MecklenburgSchwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. This union was unanimously agreed on by sittings of the two Diets at Rotsotk.

RUSSIAN ACTION

LONDON, October 14.

The Soviet has ordered all German engineers to leave Russia immediately. They will be replaced by Frenchmen.

U.S.A. LABOUR BOYCOTT

WASHINGTON, October 13.

The American Federation of Labour’s resolution has been clarified by Mr W. Green, the President, who explained that while the adoption of the Committee report is regarded as a condemnation of the Labour policies of Russia, Italy, and China, the boycott itself will be directed effectively only against Germany.