21 JUNE 1945, Page 12

SIR,—The leader of the German ConfesSional Church, Pastor Niemoeller, made

a statement to Press correspondents on June 5th, in which he admitted that " he had never quarrelled with Hitler on political grounds," and that he offered in t939 to serve for Hitler against Britain in the German navy " in any capacity." He added significantly: " If there is a war, a German does not ask questions. whether it is just or unjust, but feels instinctively bound to serve."

This interview was given prominence in all national papers on the morning of June 9th. Yet, the Dean of Chichester, Dr. Nathaniel Micklem, and Pastor Kramm do not refer to it with one single word in their strange attempts to wh'tewash the black. record of the German Confessional Church—although their letters must have been written several days after Niemoeller's confession! Dr. Micklem even goes so far as to state (quite apart from avoidift give a plain answer to my questions) that he " cannot assert it as an estab- lished fact that Niemoeller offered his services as a naval officer in Septem- ber, 1939." I am sure, Sir, that your readers will agree with me that under such circumstances it would be futile to continue the correspon- dence. Moreover, Dr. Niemoeller's own words will-have made it plain to everyone as to the real nature of the German Confessional Church and