SINISTER MOTIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1943, Page 3

SINISTER MOTIVE

OF NAZI FALSEHOODS ABOUT VATICAN BOMBING. GERMANS KNOWN TO POSSESS BRITISH BOMBS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, November 7. Allied headquarters in North Africa has issued an official statement on the German report that Allied planes bombed the Vatican stating: “While it is manifestly impossible to establish beyond doubt the fall of bombs from planes participating in night operations a thorough investigation of the missions carried out on Friday night indicates that the crews adhered to their definite instructions, and did not bomb the Vatican City,” A Swiss report states that the German Government has sent a Note to the Vatican denying that the Luftwaffe was responsible for the bombing. German propaganda organs describe the bombing as the most monstrous crime of the war.

The Pope has ordered an independend investigation into the origin of the bombs, says the Stockholm “Afton Tidningen’s” Zurich correspondent.

The German Ambassador to the Vatican handed to Cardinal Maglione an invitation to the Pope from the German Government to take refuge in the tiny independent principality of Liechtenstein, between Austria and Switzerland. Cardinal Maglione is stated to have replied that the Pope would in no circumstances leave Rome. The raid may have a sinister motive in giving Hitler an excuse to become the “protector of the Pope.” The Germans are known to have stored up British bombs as long ago as Dunkirk. It is possible that Hitler plans to take the Pope to Germany for “safety” and use him as a hostage to prevent Allied attacks on some part of Germany. Into .this area he might crowd all the Nazi “high-ups” to ensure their immunity from bombing.