MORALITY TRIALS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 134, 8 June 1937, Page 8

MORALITY TRIALS

REPLY TO GOEBBELS CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN GERMANY BERLIN. June 5. In reply to the recent speech by the Minister of National Enlightment and Propaganda, Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Roman Catholic priests have been ordered to read from their pulpits tomorrow statistics showing that of 25,635 priests in Germany only 58 have been involved in morality trials, twenty-two have been convicted, and the remainder of the actions are pending. Bitterly replying to the attack on the German Chanceller, Herr Hitler, by Cardinal Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago, Dr. Goebbels, at a mass meeting of Nazis on May 28, gave a warning that most drastic steps would be taken against high dignitaries of the Roman Catholic Church if Catholics, either in Germany or abroad, continued to criticise the “morality trials” which were now proceeding in Germany. “Cardin f Mundelein insulted Herr Hitler in a manner impossible to repeat,” said Dr. Goebbels, “and called me a dishonest Propaganda Minister who arranged the trials solely to harm the persecuted Catholic Church. Continual slandering of German justice has forced us to disclose before the world the reasons leading to the arrests of priests and led to the disclosure of the monstrous mendacity of those who have asserted that religious motives were responsible. Germany does not close her eyes to the dreadful moral decay which is manifest.” Dr. Goebbels recited examples of offences allegedly committed by Catholic educators. He said that immorality trials were not regrettable and isolated events but a sign of the general moral depravity which was unparalleled in the cultural history of mankind. ANTI-CATHOLIC FRICTION TEN PRIESTS AP. RESTED Received June 7, 11.5 p.m. LONDON, June 6. The Times’ Munich correspondent says that ten Catholic priests were arrested as a result of friction during anti-Catholic demonstrations of the Hitler Youth.