The daily worker., 1934-10-05
NaziS Refuse Right
to Visit ThaeImann
(COntinued from Page y

LTleQi IL Is Cne court That mas
passed scores of death sentences
against Communists and has meted
out prison terms to hundreds Of
others.
In my conversation with Presi-
dent Rem Of the Peoples Court" /"
Thompson related, "he explained
the functions of this tribunal. He
said the court had been established
because the Supreme Oourt has
proved itself incapable of properly
handling cases of treason against
the state"
Describes Nazi Court
The Peoples Court was estab-
ished after the severe trcuncing
the Nazis got in the trial of Dimi-
troff, Torgler and the three other
defendants, when Dirnitroff turned
the prosecution into a counter
offensive against the Nazi incen-
diaries and their regime.
The Peoples Court has five
members, three of whom, according
to the act establishing the court
Shall be men who we're actively
engaged fighting the enemies of the
National Socialist state" said Mr..
Thompson. This of course, makes
them prejudiced court, with a
worse than military attitude in a
court martial. At least in a court
martial the defendant has a right
to be heard. But in the Peoples
Court, the fact that one is charged
with being a Communist is Suf-
ficient."
Hold Prisoners Without Charges
AS a trained jurist of many years
practice in American courts, Mr..
Thompson explained the procedure
of the Peoples Court, which has
the power of life and death over
all opponents Of the Nazi regime.
Suspected persons are brought
before the court, and the prosecu-
tor can order an investigation"
or can prevent one from being
made. In either case, the prisoner
is kept in jail, and can be held
for two years without ever know
ing what he is charged with.
Even if the prisoner is tried, he
does not know what the case
against him is until he is confront
ed by the Nazs on the Peoples
Court, and, of course, he has not
the slightest opportunity to pre-
pare a defense, The court is held
secretly.
Tells of Day at Court
ITO make an impression on me-"
Mr.. Thompson said, they premit-
ted me to attend the trial of three
charged with being Communists. I
was flanked by two German press
representatives, who spoke excel
lent English and were very anxious
to know my impression. I told
them whatever it was I would tell
the truth about it. Not knowing
German, when I heard one of the
defendants say something about
Soviet I asked one of the German
correspondents what was being
said, and he told me the prisoner
declared: Some day Germany will
be a Soviet republic do not think
he correctly translated what was
being said, as from my knowledge
of the Nazis I would have expected
this remark to have been met with
more explosive emotional reactions
than I observed"
Two of the prisoners were SEN
fenced to prison terms and the
third was discharged"
After an investigation" Mr..
Thompson continued, eff the court
wants to try the case, it is called
at the convenience of the court.
There is no jury"
Mr.. Thompson, before he was
permitted to interview Herr Pres
ident Rem, was asked point blank
If he was either a Communist or
Socialist, to which he replied, mo"
Rules of Evidence Eliminated
"It is clear" he commented after
explaining in detail the function
ing of the so-called Peoples Court,
that without rules of evidence,
which were entirely eliminated in
the concept of Nazi justice, and
without rules of Jurisprudence, the
court is an agent Of the Nazi re-
gime, working for the destruction
of the opposition either through
Imprisonment or outright execution.
After leaving Germany, Mr..
Thompson went to Paris, where he
was appointed on a commission to
observe political conditions in the
Saar region in view of the forth
coming plebiscite on Jan. IS, 1895.
Other members of this commission
we're George Branting, Swedish
senator and jurist, son of Hjalmar
Branting, Socialist leader; Count
Karolyi, former President of the
Hungarian republic, and Lord Mar
ley, chairman of the commission.
Mr.. Thompson said that the COM
missions report would soon be is
sued.