News In Brief

Western church leaders seek Hess's release from prison

Leaders of the main Christian churches in the United States, Britain, and France have appealed to their governments to press Moscow to agree to the early release of Adolf Hitler's former deputy, Rudolf Hess, from Spandau Prison, Berlin. Hess, in his 90th year, has been in the prison since 1946 and its only inmate for the last 18 years. The US, the Soviet Union, Britain, and France jointly administer Spandau as the former wartime allies, but Moscow has always vetoed Hess's release. The church leaders based their plea on Christian compassion and the values World War II was fought to preserve.