The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-01

The Nazi concept of what consti- tutes justice m the administration or the affairs or occupied countries IS sharply revealed 4n 8 pamphlet issued by the Polish Information center, New York city.
 Since the first days of its occu- patton of Poland, Germany has in- stalled an elaborate system of courts purporting to handle matters requir- Ing adjudication equitably, but in reality creating a judicial structure whose two basic tenets are: the granting of special privileges to the Germans (ndependent of their na- tional status) and their interests by means of special legal procedures; and the legalization of terror.
 By the unopposed and expedient method of governmental decree, three main court groupings have been established: D Martial and po- lice courts, 9 German courts, and S) Polish courts. Responsible for the new set-up is the nominal Gen. eral Government of Poland, hand picked and thoroughly nazified na- tional administrative body.
 The military martial courts con- sist of a colonel and two soldiers; the personnel of a police martial court is a chief of police, or com mander of a section of the secret police, and two officials of the sec- tion.
 The functions of both courts com prise Jurisdiction over the follow ing; illicit possession of firearms, acts committed against German civil and military authorities, acts against individual Germans because of their race; and intentional damage to German property. Tn all cases where these rules are violated, the death penalty is invariably invoked. Equally guilty are those instigating such acts or failing to report them So the German authorities
 Military courts whose jurisdiction was established by decree of Jan- uaTy 26, 1940, rule on offenses com mittcd by civilians against the Nazi armed forces, or against quarters occupied by them
 The two remaining courts are the Administrative tpenal, and the Spe- cial (Scndergerichte). The former IS connected with the entire web-like heirarchv of Nazi tyranny, and may impose Gnes equivalent to $200, or sentences up to three months. Ap- peals may be taken to the district chief from decisions of this court.
 The Special courts are in the majority of cases, governed by a tribunal. which dispenses with the formality of preliminary investiga- ton. They try cases designated by the Governor General, and any oth- CTS that appear advisable because of tte gravity and the odious char acter of the offense". While deci- sions of this. court are seldom ap- pealable, any appeals taken are heard by the same tribunal.
 All the five courts mentioned may at their discretion pronounce sem tencs of death.
 Some of the offenses for which the death penalty is frequently in- voked are the theft of wood from forest, the sale by a manufacturer of mineral oil, metals, fats, lumber, etc. without an official permit. Very often persons have been sentenced to death for violating edicts of the Governor General, which were in force the moment they were de- creed, and before information re- garding them had reached the town or village in which the prosecutions took place.
 In specific cases" of wood theft from a forest ("specific" defined as occurring on Sundays, holidays or after nightfall; if the offender has sought to conceal his identity, or committed the felony for the pur- pose of Sale) if the author of the theft is less than IA years of age, the judge may sentence the father or tutor in his stead, whenever they