The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-29
INAzI PAPERS ATTACK CHURCH
Roman Catholic Priests Accused as Government
 Opens Drive on Them
BY FREDERICK c. OECHsNER United Press Staff Correspondent)

BY FREDERICK c. OECHSNER United Press Staff CorrespOndent)
 Berlin, April % = (UP) = Nazi newspapers opened a broadside ate tack on the Roman Catholic church today and threatened trial of hun dreds of priests on charges of in- morality, the evidence, in some cases, to be broadcast through the nation by radio.
 Col. Gen. Hermann Goering's newspaper organ, the National Zei- tung of Essen, asserted that more than 1000 priests were held In pris- ons awaiting trial on immortality charges.
 The articles in this and other newspapers intiniated that if the church continued complaints that Nazis were prosecuting priests, not only would the priests be tried but that the fullest possible publicity would be given to evidence that they had been guilty of sexual of- lenses.
 All Berlin morning newspapers joined in a vehement attack on the church in connection with immoral ity trials already proceeding.
 The Voelkischer Beobachert, offi- cial newspaper organ of the Ma. tional Socialist (NazD party, said:
 "A nation just recovering its health and strength can not toler- ate its life and that of its children being poisoned by the activities of clique which threatens systema- tically to practise sexual crime.
 "The Catholic church never has attempted to put an end to sexual scandals. On the contrary 1t has brazenly asserted that criminals were in reality martyrs and victims of the Nazi regime. At the same time the church authorities who neglected their duty of supervision urge the National Socialist, state to quash the trials. They forget that this demand is tantamount to ad- mission of gull since a good cause has no reason to fear the light of publicity.
 Publicity will be fully established if the Roman fraternity continues to describe their criminals as h1- nocent martyrs"
 Indicating an intention by Nazis to broadcast some trials the news paper commented: Thus the en- tire nation will be able to hear the testimony of indignant parents of victims of sexual criminals in priests garb."
 Goering's newspaper said:
 Tt may be necessary to broadcast verbatim report of some of these trials dealing with especially char acteristic cases of violation of all laws and moral notions, thus mak- ing it clear to the German nation that many cloisters have become hotbeds of homo-sexuality and that Catholic educational institutions which the Pope's encyclical defend- ed have become in reality breeding places of the most horrible vice.
 ."'All trials doubtless will reveal the same immortality and hostility toward the state as was brought to light in past trials for violation of foreign exchange regulations, in the Rossaint case just ended and the first half dozen immortality cases thus far completed"
 The Rossaint case was that of Father Joseph Rossaint, Catholic youth leader, sentenced yesterday to II years imprisonment on the charge of preparing high treason. It was alleged he tried to arnalgarnate Catholics and Communists In a united front. Three other defend ants received terms ranging from five years to 18 months in prison. The trial lasted 30 days.
 Newspapers contain daily reports of immortality trials. It is notable that most of the defendants are from smaller orders. No instance has been known of prosecution of members of the more prominent or ders. S
 Today's newspaper reports of trials concerned the sentencing of two men at Coblenz and four at Bonn. One of those sentenced at Coblenz was 76 year old monk, sentenced to 18 months in prison on charges of sexual offenses against feeble minded pupils. a
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