“DRASTIC STEPS”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 7

“DRASTIC STEPS”

NAZIS AND CATHOLICS OFFENCES ALLEGED Received May 30, 5.5 p.m. BERLIN, May 28. Bitterly replying to Archbishop Mundelein’s criticism, Dr. P. J. Goebbels, at a mass meeting of the Nazi Party, issued a warning that the mosi drastic steps would be taken against high dignitaries of the Catholic Jnurch n Catholics, either in Germany or abroad, continued to criticise lhe “morality trials” now proceeding in Germany. “Archbishop Mundelein has insulted Herr Hitler in a manner impossible to repeat,” said Dr. Goebbels. “He nas called me a dishonest Propaganda Minister who has arranged tne trials solely for the purpose oi harming the persecuted Catholic Church, ine continual slandering of German justice nas forced us to disclose to the world the reasons leading to the arrests of priests and the disclosure of the monstrous mendacity of those who asserted that religious motives are responsible. “Germany does not close her eyes to the dreadful moral decay which is manifest.” Dr. Goebbels recited examples of offences allegedly committed oy Catholic educators and added that the immorality trials were not regrettable, isolated events, but a sign of general moral depravity unparalleled in the cultural history of mankind. VATICAN’S REPLY Received May 30, 5.5 p.m. ROME, May 28. Replying to the German protest against Archbishop Mundelein, the Vatican points out that it cannot be responsible for the personal views of individual cardinals and directs attention to the German Government’s inconsistency in permitting Press attacks on the Pope.