FARCICAL INQUIRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22065, 22 September 1933, Page 7

FARCICAL INQUIRY

REICHSTAG BUILDING FIRE FINDING OF “COMMISSION.” LONDON, September 20. The Reichstag “ Commission,” while admitting that it had not all the evidence before it, found unanimously that Trogler and Dimitrova were not guilty of the Reichstag building fire and that the innocence of Taneff and Popoff was indicated. It was stated that Vanderluble, who was half-blind, had not been connected with Communists since 1931, and that he sometimes delivered proNazi speeches. There were grave reasons to suspect that leading Nazi personalities were responsible for the A proper juridical body should investigate these suspicions. GERMAN COMMENT ON “ TRIAL.” LONDON, September 20. The Berlin correspondent of The Times says: “ Herr Franck (Commissioner of Justice) declares that the London inquiry has furnished further proof of the guilt of world Communism. It would have been an act of self-destruction for the Nazis to set fire to the Reichstag building just at the moment when they could have victoriously entered it amid the jubilations of the nation. —Times Cable, THE REAL TRIAL OPENED. LEIPZIG, September 21. (Received Sept. 22, at 1.30 a.m.) The Reichstag fire trial was opened' in the Supreme Court in a brilliantly illuminated room, everyone rising and giving the Fascist salute as the judges entered. Vanderlubbe’s hands were heavily handcuffed behind his back, but the hands of the other four accused were not fettered.

The President, Dr Bunger, in his opening address, referred to the unprecedented prejudicing of. the case by the foreign press. Foreign counsel were not admitted because it was considered their motives were less' to guard the interests of the accused than to awake distrust in German justice. Vanderlubbe is charged with high treason, coupled with incendiary attempts on four Berlin buildings, the former Royal Palace, the Reichstag, the City Hall, and the Welfare Office, for which the death penalty is prescribed. A statement allegedly written by Vanderlubbe was read, stating that he wanted no defence, and refused all offers of foreign counsel, including a Dutch lawyer sent to Leipzig at the request of his own family.