AMERICAN ACTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23008, 8 April 1938, Page 11

AMERICAN ACTION

FORMAL RECOGNITION DEBT QUESTION RAISED GERMANY HELD RESPONSIBLE (Received April 7, 5.5 p.m.) * WASHINGTON, April O The United States Government has formally recognised Germany's absorption of Austria and has notified Germany that it will hold the latter responsible for Austria's debts. The American Legation in Vienna is to be converted into a ConsulateGeneral.

CARE OF REFUGEES AMERICA'S PROPOSAL 15 COUNTRIES FAVOURABLE British Wireless RUGBY, April G The Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R- A. Butler, to-day answered questions in the House of Commons about refugees from Austria. He stated that 15 countries, namely, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, France, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay Peru, Salvador, Sweden and Uruguay, had replied favourably to the invitation of the United States to concert methods providing, for assistance to political and Jewish refugees from Austria.

It was part of the proposal of the United States that the financing of emergency emigration should be undertaken by private organisations in the respective countries. Mr. Butler also said the British Government would make the best possible use of this opportunity of co-operation with the United States. The British Government would naturally be sympathetic to any proposal for Jewish immigration to Madagascar, which had the approval of the French Government, but did not contemplate approaching the French Government on the matter.

Mr. Butler said he hoped to make an early statement on the question of Austrian refugees receiving the protection of the League of Nations. The British GovEirnment was ready to do its part in such international action as was possible for dealing with the problem of refugees from Germany, but did not consider as feasible steps to secure for racial minorities in Germany full civil liberties, either through direct negotiations or through the machinery of the League of Nations, as suggested in a question. The Colonial Secretary, Mr. W. Ormsby-Gore, in answering a question on a similar subject, said ho had no information how many Jews from Vienna and other parts of Austria had landed in Palestine or any mandated territory since March 12, but the conditions of immigration into Palestine were well known and applied to Austrian Jews in the same way as to Jews in other parts of the world.

AUDIENCE WITH POPE CARDINAL FROM VIENNA THE PENDING PLEBISCITE VATICAN CITY, April 6 Cardinal Innitzer was given a 75 minutes' audience by the Pope to-day. He created a precedent by being accompanied by Cardinal Pacelli, the Papal secretary. Cardinals and bishops usually see the Pope alone. Before returning to Vienna Cardinal Innitzer stated that the Austrian bishops' declaration of March 18 on the Coming plebiscite was obviously not intended to be approval of that which is incompatible with the laws of God and the liberties and rights of the Church. The declaration did not impose any duty of conscience on the Austrian Episcopate. The Cardinal demanded that all questions covered by the Concordat must not bo modified without the Pope's, agreement. Parents must retain their educational rights, the Church must not bo deprived of the right of propagating faith and moral instruction among youths, and also anti-religious and anti-church propaganda must be prohibited.