Evening star., 1942-02-21
Laura ingalls,
Begins Serving
Jail Term
Defends Patriotism
Before Sentence Of
8 to "a Months

Miss Laura ingalls,, peace advo-
cate and aviatrix whom the Fed
eral Government convicted in Dis
trict Court Of being an unregistered
Nazi agent, today began serving an
8-to-24-month jail sentence - the
maximum jail term under the law.
Justice James w. Morris sem
fenced her yesterday afternoon,
after listening to an address Miss
ingalls, delivered. In which she pro-
tested that she is q better American
than the jurors who convicted her.
IT salute the Republic of the
United States" she said dramatic
ally in closing.
Clad in a brown jacket, dress and
and large gray hat, the defendant
made q dramatic figure as she
stood, her eyes flashing, and ad-
dressed the jurist, insisting that she
is a loyal American.
With M. Neil Andrews, special
assistant to the Attorney General
the man who prosecuted her, seated
nearby, Miss ingalls, declared at the
outset:
"One OF the great fundamentals
inherent in the Constitution Is lib
erty of conscience. With the In
terests of my country at heart, /
thought I had the right to work
against a war I knew we were not
prepared to fight. feel there might
never have been a Singapore. II
we had had suficient planes at
Manila and Hawaii to stem the
tide of the Japanese.
II realize I have technically Vo-
lated the law, but I never INTENDED
In conscience to act as a foreign
agent. I worked as an individual
Individualism is an American trait
II hoped to turn my evidence over
to the Government. I do not con-
slider myself morally guilty Of COM
mitting an act against my Govern
ment. My motives were born OF
intensive patriotism.
II feel there must be some strong
Western power left to lead Europe
out Of chaos and I saw no other
power than the United States to
do 1t.
Willing to Make Sacrifice.
II can do nothing but accept the
verdict Of my fellow countrymen
but I do so in the feeling that
am a truer American patriot than
those who convicted me. Sacrifice
Is to be our lot. from now on and
am willing to make mine"
Miss Ingalls, then told Justice
Morris that there Is great need oi
trained pilots and nurses to aic
America in her forthcoming strug.
gle and wished that she might play
her part.
Her attorney had nothing to say
to the jurist.
Justice Morris told the defend
ant: The punishment to be visited
on you Is not because Of your ex-
pressions on American policy. felt
1t was q question that should be
passed on by jury. That jury has
heard your case and found you
guilty of acting as an agent Of q
foreign principal. That limitation on
ones freedom to act Is the law OF
the land and must be obeyed."i
Poses Question to Jurist.
Miss ingalls, then asked Justice
Morris II the right to work for the
United States would have been af-
fected II she had registered as q
foreign agent, but the jurist de.
clared that he had already gone
into that matter.
Ignorance of the law is no ex.
cuse," observed Miss ingalls,.
Justice Morris then passed sen.
tence and the prisoner said: Yes
your Honor"
Apparently no motion for . new
trial nor appeal to the United
States Court of Appeals is in pros
pect now. The Government charged
Miss ingalls, with dealing with
Baron Ulrich Won Gienanth, a.
second secretary Of the German
Embassy here, and with being paid
NaA propagandist. Further it said
that she had held numerous con-
ferences with Hitler's agents in the
United States and that she had at
tempted to mould public opinion in
this country. The grand jury that
indicted her was unable to state
how much money she had received
j. Edgar Hoover, director Of the
r. B. l., said Miss ingalls, was a star
speaker for the America First Com
mittee In the Middle West.