Evening star., 1932-08-23
Fascists Convicted of PoIiti-
cal Murder Give Won
Papen Hard Job.
GOVERNMENT Is FIRM
AGAINST AMY PRESSURE
Scene of Speed Court" Trial Quiet
After Riot Following Sen
tences CT Death.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, August %. - Death SEN
tences imposed yesterday at Beuthen
upon five Fascists convicted of political
murder brought disturbing threats of
reprisal today.
The gravity of the situation was at
tested in the pledge of the Fascist
strong man, Adolf Hitler and that
meant his powerful storm troops as
well-to battle against a governments
under which this (the death sentences)
is possible"
Thus all eyes were focused on Cham
cellar Franz Won Papen and his govern-
ment, which promulgated the emergency
decree OF August o. under which the
five men were tried.
Inc threats were answered by an an
nouncement that the Government
would not stand for political pressure.
out decide solely en- the basis of Justice
whether or not to grant pardons."
Condemned for Staying.
All Germany discussed the case NJ
the quintet, three of whom were N7zi
IoIloWers and two afnliates. They were
conaemned yesterday in a court room
az beulnen, a mining city on the Poll
ISn border, for killing a Communist in
the village of Potempa. -
Ine tribunal was a speed court
eStaollShed to stamp out the violence
Whlcn was taking hundreds of lives in
.iae pGlltIc3I campaigns. The men were
Getenaeo by the personal attorney Of
riot ensued. 'i'e'
Beuthen was quiet today under the
vigilance of steel-helmeted police, and
tne rest OF Germany was eager to see
new crisis. 49, '-'-'
open threats Of reprisals and worse
Were voiced by the Nazis as the forces
! OF the political right marshaled all their
pressure to force the government to
alter the sentences.
Won Papen Must Act Fast.
1t was generally considered unlikely
the five ever would be guillotined. but
the chancellor was confronted with the
most difficult of questions. in that he
must decide very soon to commute one
or all the death sentences to life i'm
prisonment or quaSh the verdict as de-
manded by the Nazis. The government
Is the final judge under the speed court
emergency decree, which eliminated the
long delay of appeals.
The Nationalist press pointed to the
loophole permitted by communication and
cited the fact that the Staying occurred
| only two hours after the August 8 de-
cree was promulgated 1t is considered
likely that this would te the grounds
Tor retrial or revision Of the sentences.
Indicative Of the way the Nazis we're
taking the court decision Wss Hitler's
! telegram to the condemned men, which
read:
My comrades, in the face of this
most monstrous blood sentence, I feel
bound to you by lirnitless fidelity. The
freedom of each CT you frcm this minute
on is question of cur honor. To battle
against government under which this
is possible is our duty"
The press generally viewed the verdict
in the light of their political leanings.
except the Socialist Vorwaerts, which
placed the blame for more of the recent
political deaths at Won Papens door
The Won Papen government called
the eXecutioner," the paper said 1T
unlocssd bloody CHESTS in raising the
ban against the NaZi uniform. These
five men of Beuthen are not the guilty
ones. The guiltiest are those who have
raised the ghost Of political murder in
| Germany"
eve Socialists do not seek alliance
with the executioner, We wish to abol-
Continued on Page 4, Column A.