Religious Libel Trial Opens in Lausanne; Attack on Talmud Brought Court Action

Several members of the National Front went on trial here today on charges of distributing pamphlets libeling the Jewish religion.

The pamphlets, which were circulated last December, said that certain passages in the Talmud, the body of Jewish civil and canonical law, were in contradiction to modern moral standards and even permitted commission of ordinary crimes. Two Swiss university experts, Professors Colay of Lausanne and Sailer of Berne, testified for the prosecution, declaring that the quotations from the Talmud which were used in the pamphlets did not have the meaning attributed to them by the defendants.

The action was brought against the accused by the Jewish communities of Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux and Yverdon. A third expert called to testify in the case is the Dutch scholar, Prof. Van Heckelingen.