Cardinal Innitzer's action on March 26, when he exhorted Austrian Roman Catholics to give unconditional support to "the Greater German State and its Leader" is bearing strange fruit, judging from the latest telegrams to hand concerning recent disorders in Vienna. It is, however, perfectly clear that what has happened has been at no desire of the Nazi authorities, who do not desire, especially in Austria, that there should be an open cleavage between the Roman Catholic religion and the State. It will ibe remembered that at the time of the Cardinals announcement there wag very considerable criticism, and the belief expressed that Rome would take some action against him, but the affair was smoothed over, and there can be little doubt that as far as it has been possible, there has been in Austria rather better relations between the Church and State than has been the case in Germany itself. The influence of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria is particularly strong, for it is estimated that well over ninety per cent. of the population is undoubtedly loyal to the Church, and the report that since the recent outbreak of trouble church attendance has increased may be taken $s very striking corroboration. For that reason the report that the rioting has been completely contrary to the wishes of the authorities, and as the result of the uncontrolled behaviour of some of the younger and more disorderly elements may be accepted as entirely true, for there has been nothing to indicate that there has not been the fullest understanding between the Cardinal and Nazi leaders. It is, consequently, fully to be understood that the outrages have indeed aroused Herr Hitlers indignation, and if some of the people who found pleasure in the assault upon old defenceless mer, and the destruction of important religious relics are thoroughly punished, they vill have received no more than they deserve.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.