POGROM IN GERMANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23686, 19 December 1938, Page 11

POGROM IN GERMANY

REACTIONS IN BRITAIN AMAZEMENT AND ANTAGONISM VIEWS OF, PROMINENT PEOPLE (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 14. The Nazi Party's latest persecution of -the Jews in Germany has aroused the widest horror, amazement, and antagonism in Britain. Coming at the present time when the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, is doing everything in his power to forward his policy of appeasement in Europe, it is Jrtor'e' than likely that the latest pogrom, following the death of Herr von Hath in Paris at the hands of a demented Jewish-polish youth, may once again delay, or at the least affect unfavourably, conversation between the leaders of the two countries. •■ The pogrom has given a certain conviction to the statement made recently that Germany could be relied upon to do the wrong thing at the wrong time. Britain, had evidence of this not so very lorig ago when Herr von Ribben* trop. arrived in London to embark upon . an avowed policy of furthering friendship between Germany and Britain, and promptly aroused ill-feeling by telling Britain what she should do to combat Bolshevism. .More recently there was the cancellation of Baron von Neurath's visit to London following Germany's annexation of Austria. ■ As ; a' result of the riots and burnings of synagogues throughout Germany and the announcement by Field-mar-shal Goering of the first instalment of the drastic "punishment" to be inflicted upon German Jews for Von Rath s death, there have been a number of outspoken criticisms throughout Britain. APPEASEMENT "NOT HELPED" Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare, M.P., Secretary 1 to the Admiralty, said:—" I hope lhaf the policy of appeasement and goodwill will be reciprocated, and I sincerely hope that the German nation realises that appeasement with this country is not helped forward by exhibitions of unrestrained mob law arid the persecution of people whose only fault is their race. I cannot believe that the ordinary decent German folk are really proud of their country for exhibitions such as these." The Bishop of Durham (Dr Henson), addressing the Durham Diocesan Conference, said that Herr Hitler professed his desire for more friendly relations with Great Britain; but he did not appear'to realise that the most formidable hindrance to such relations arose from the feeling of moral repugnance which his racial and religious policy created in British minds. The Bishop of Chichester (Dr Bell) *aifl that the : pace of the attack on Christianity in Germany was increasing and becoming more terrifying. He knew large numbers of the leaders of the German Evangelical Church, and ne- was thrilled by their extraordinary courage. The present, position in Ger-many-was either complete State- control, with even the prayers of the Church censored, a Church in a corner, or a ghetto with a subway, or ruthless destruction. The outlook was black. Lord Meston, president of the Liberal Organisation, issued' the following statement on behalf of the officers of the party:— . "The Liberal Party Organisation joins, with the rest of the civilised world in expressing indignation and

disgust at the brutal persecution to which the Jewish subjects of the German Reich are being exposed. The outrages have occurred in circumstances which suggest the consent, if not the connivance, of the authorities of the Reich; and this latest addition to the sufferings of an already cruelly oppressed people" must surely impair the hope of more cordial relations between Germany and this country. The Liberal Party organisation will steadfastly support our Government in whatever influence it can exercise upon the German Government to put a stop to these atrocities." " ORGANISED FEROCITY " A letter denouncing " organised ferocity" was sent to the German Ambassador in London by the Independent Labour Party. The letter ran: "On.behalf of our party, which has the friendliest feelings towards the masses of the German pepole. I feal compelled to protest against the barbarity and bestiality of the attacks upon the Jews which have occurred in Germany during the last few days. We denounce the assassination of the German representative in Paris, but to express revenge for this action by organised ferocity against a whole race is a throwback from civilisation to the jungle." The Rev. M. L. Perlzweig, a member of the World Jewish Congress, speaking at a special intercession service at the Nortn-Western (Reform) Synagogue, said that, schooled in adversity, the Jews knew that they would outlive the Nazi tyranny, which was destined to break under the weight of its own follies and iniquities. The problem of the Jew in Germany was a Christian one. What had Christendom to say to an international system which placed those gangsters among the powers and principalities of the earth? The Christian world was beginning to apprehend the challenge of this system to its own soul.

Sir Archibald Sinclair, Leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons, said that Britain could not honourably hand over to a Government which permitted, and even instigated, such "ile outbursts, an of those primitive peoples in Africa who now enjoyed the blessings of freedom and impartial justice under British rule. LORD ROTHSCHILD'S VIEW

Lord Rothschild, in a letter to The Times, wrote that the recent pogrom was not new in the treatment of Jews in Germany. The differences between recent treatment and that during the past three or four years was quantitative. Qualitatively the same things had been going on continuously. "The reports from Germany that the pogroms are 'spontaneous demonstrations ' by the German people are the grossest defamation of the character of the German people as a whole," said Lord Rothschild. "The German people arc very much like the British. They detest the persecution of innocent people. I have received letters from Germany, from Germans who arc not Jews and not even ' Liberals,' from people who sympathise with the Nazi regime. But they have told me that they abhor the persecution of the Jews just as much as they and we abhor the beating up of Cardinal Innitzer or the ' protective detention ' of a brave and good man. Paster Niemoller, " It has been announced in the newspapers that any criticisms made in foreign countries of the treatment of the Jews will only increase their torments in Germany. I have no fear of doing this, because their torment cannot be increased except by such refinements of torture as would create general horror in Germany itself. Almost the only thing left for them is death; for many that would be a welcome and blessed relief."

" IRRESPONSIBLE ELEMENTS " "With startled surprise, mingled with grief and anxiety. Germany this week-end, is gradually discovering what happened." Says the Berlin correspondent of the Sunday Times. "Nazis are saying that 'the massee, seething with anger at the cowardly murder of a young diplomat at a foreign post, wreaked vengeance on the Jews in spontaneous demonstrations.' The authorities say emphatically that no looting occurred except by occasional 'irresponsible elements.' But the millions of Germans who rely on what their own eyes saw and their own ears heard and on what they learn from trusted friends, know matters were very different. They see in the flaming synagogues, in the destroyed and partly-looted stores arid other property, a sinister omen for the future of their country. The violence displayed within the past two days was such that the good old German in the street and the hausfrau in her home felt that the evil spirit will remain smouldering below the surface and that, on the slightest provocation, new outbreaks will occur unless very stringent measures are taken." In London, the week-end was re-

garded as the "Black Sabbath" by Jews. In the Central Synagogue a young rabbi, the Rev. Phillip Cohen, set himself to rouse the Jews of Britain to a realisation of what is happening in Germany. "It is not a. time for lamentations," he cried. "It is a time for action."

Quietly and indirectly, he warned the Jews of Great Britain not to take the attitude that 'it can't happen here.' He gave figures showing that the Nazis spend £21,000,000 a year in propaganda abroad, propaganda intended to uproot Judaism throughout the world.

" Judaism has survived centuries of persecution and many a rude shock. But there is no hope," he cried, " if we assume that because ancient evils have been survived we can be complacent towards this one. On the contrary, the situation is in extremis. Nothing less will suffice than the reorgpnisation of the whole of English Jew.y. No longer dare the English Jew hold himself apart from the Jews of other lands. Persecution must unite Jewry as never before."