“REVOLTING CRUELTY”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21986, 22 June 1933, Page 8

“REVOLTING CRUELTY”

TO THE EDITOE Sib, —In this morning’s issue under the above heading you give prominence to a tale of atrocity in Germany reported by the newspaper Les Dernieres Nouvelles. What is the object of publishing such a tale which comes from a tainted source and bears unmistakable evidence of being concocted for some sinister purpose? Does the press again lay itself out to foment hatred of Germany? It is comprehensible that the French press and the powerful (all-too-powerful) Jew-owned press throughout the world will spread such poisonous lies, but why should our British press allow itself to be made a tool in this service? Was not enough harm done during the war with such devilry? Is it now done under Government instigation and sanction? If not, what is the purpose ? It is not long ago that the Under-secre-tary of State to the British Foreign Office, Mr Arthur Ponsonby, uncovered a typical example of atrocity-mongering as follows: —“During the war when Antwerp had fallen, church bells were rung in Germany to celebate the victory. The Kolnische Zeitung reported about this as follows: —‘As the fall of Antwerp became known the church bells were rung.’ This perfectly harmless report was taken up by the Matin, which passed it on as follows: —‘According to the Kolnische Zeitung the Antwerp clergy was compelled to ring the church bells after the fall of the fortress.’ The Times (London) passes the Matin’s report on as follo-ws: — ‘ Those Belgian clergymen who refused their permission to have the church bells lung at the fall of Antwerp were dismissed from office.’ Thereupon the Corriere della Sera of Milan reported a s follows: —‘According to an authentic report of The Times, those unfortunate clergymen who had forbidden that on the fall of Antwerp the church bells be rung, were sentenced to hard labour.’ Then the Matin snatched up its own fictitious tale again and presented the following version to its readers:—‘As the Corriere della Sera learns from Cologne, via London, confirmation has now come to hand that the barbarous conquerors of Antwerp punished the unfortunate clergymen who heroically had refused to have the church bells rung, by hanging them up inside the bells with their heads downwards, thus turning them into human clappers.’ ” —I am. etc., Dunedin. June 20. Observer.