POPE AND NAZIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 21 April 1934, Page 4

POPE AND NAZIS

ATTITUDE HARDENING

CONCORDAT CONTRAVENED LONDON, 13th April. The Vatican’s attitude toward the Nazis is hardening, as it is realised, says the Rome correspondent ot ilie Times,” that their conduct contravenes the concordat which expressly conceded rights to Roman Catholic priests and institutions. - Tlie Pope’s recent letter to the German Catholic Youth Association shows that the Church has no intention of surrendering the spiritual upbringing of Catholics. German Catholics have suffered a further blow, says the Berlin correspondent of “The Times,” by the decision of the Duisbcrg Court in a case regarded as a test one on the Nazis’ attitude toward Catholic opinion. The Court declared that Catholic newspapers were superfluous. It _ refused to grant an injunction against General Goering’s newspaper, the “National Zcitung,” which, the Catholic Neuretag complained, had been unfairly competing by threatening people if they did not subscribe to it. The Court pointed out that the Neuertag used the support of priests in canvassing and added, “No Government has done mor e than the Nazi Government to defend the fundamentals of Christianity.” An instance of Catholics’ disabilities is provided by 1 the Youths’ Organisation in Bavaria, where a green-shirted party set out on a trip to the mountains.

Hitler youths attacked them and confiscated their shirts and equipment.