Catholics Oppose Hungarian Anti-jewish Bill; Propose Amendments

Hungarian Catholics tonight expressed considerable anxiety over an order by Premier Bela Imredy’s Government decreeing immediate transformation of 400 Hungarian primary schools — 70 per cent of which are parochial institutions — into German-language schools. The Hungarian Catholic bishops are obeying Government instructions, it was indicated, but Catholic quarters declare the population was not consulted and is hostile to a measure. The Hungarian press has made no mention of it.

The Catholics are opposed in principle to a bill further restricting Jewish participation in the nation’s life, notably in the economic, financial and cultural realms. They also are increasingly anxious over the wave of Reich-inspired neopaganism, manifested recently in bans on the Catholic press

Following contacts with the Vatican, Catholic circles have decided not to accept the Jewish bill in its present draft. They are nevertheless opposed to trying to force a political crisis on the issue, fearing that this line of action might risk increasing Imredy’s popularity. The Catholics propose exemption of the following categories of Jews from the provisions of the pending bill: (1) Jews converted to Catholicism; (2) those married to Christians; (3) all who have reared their children in the Christian religion; (4) all who have supported the Catholic Church morally or materially; (5) those who were baptized at birth; (6) all who from the age of 10 received a Christian education.