NAZIS CHALLENGED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 October 1938, Page 8

NAZIS CHALLENGED

ANTLCATHOLIC OUTRAGES IN VIENNA DENOUNCED BY VATICAN ORGAN CHARGES BY BUERCKEL By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, October 16. Reportedly inspired by the Pope, the “Osservatore Romano,” the official Vatican newspaper, scathingly denounces the German authorities in Vienna as being responsible for the outrages against Cardinal Innitzer. The newspaper draws attention to the disparity between the official communique, which waters down the facts, and the grave truth of the incidents, which are claimed to have been justiby the impudent excuse of Catholic provocation. It declares that the Germans must assume responsibility for the outrages by their defence of the perpetrators. Meanwhile, further rioting is reported from Vienna. Anti-Jewish demonstrators overnight, broke windows in houses and synagogue where prayers were in progress. A rabbi was injured. Nazi rioters also stormed and partly demolished an important synagogue. Official circles explained that it was merely the private action of a street mob. The secret police have taken over as their headquarters the Franciscan monastery at Salzburg, throwing out prayer books and furniture. An announcement of further reprisals to be taken against the Catholic Church was made by Herr Buerckel, Nazi District Leader' for Austria yesterday, including the instant abolition of all Catholic seminaries. As a background to the new policy, Herr Buerckel revealed that on October 4 clerical politicians resolved to hold a demonstration in support of the faith, at which they sang Schuschnigg songs and shrieked in chorus: “Christ is our Fuehrer.” It was matchless impertinence, said Herr Buerckel, to introduce Christ’s name into politics against the Fuehrer. When. did Herr Hitler ever dream of challenging the Son of God? When had the Son of God taken a terrestrial partner? It was merely an attempt to raise the question of Hitler or Christ. The real question was Hitler or the clerical clique. The Vienna correspondent of “The Times” says that after this announcement a hundred thousand Nazis marched past Cardinal Innitzer’s palace displaying anti-clerical banners, including some advocating the hanging of Cardinal Innitzer,