The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-07-15
WNU Service, 1S43 H Street. NV,
Washington, D. c.

Washington, d. c.
It was press and radio conference
day at the White House. We were
crowded around the big desk in the
executive office. 1t was hot. The
President was seated at his desk.
coatless, in a white shirt and black
tie. He was leaning over a type
written statement before him, read
ing it carefully. putting out his
cheeks and then blowing out slowly.
as many people do when they are
concentrating.
It happened to be a newsful day
and the answers to the reporters
questions and the explanations Of
two long statements filled columns
in the papers which you read the
next day
The first announcement. the one
which he was reading over to him
self when we came in. is the one
which l want to speak about-the
warning to the Axis perpetrators Of
acts of atrocity against the civilian
peoples of the occupied countries.
Brutal though the theme was, ON
nous though the warning, l was
suddenly struck by the feeling that
here, in the midst of hatred and
slaughter, was an effort to maintain
the spirit of decency and humanity.
the things we are really fighting for.
The whole intent of the warning was
to assure justice-even for the enc
my. America was committing it.
self to the principl that the Axis
with its policy of making the lnno-
cent suffer for another's otfense-
such as the shooting of hostages
would be punished. not by blind ven
geance as brutal as the crime it
would avenge. but by due process
of law Gestapo and military Off
Gals after the war would be tried in
a court in the country where the
crimes were committed.
Vengeance?
AS the President was explaining
this, a reporter asked him if he
thought the people in the occupied
countries would wait for a trial.
Would they not take the law into
their own hands? Another asked the
President if he had heard the SEN
tence said to be circulating in the
occupied countries give US a
week"
That, the President said. was ex-
actly what he hoped would not hap
pen-that criminals would be pun
ished after fair trials. He pointed
to the recent trials of the Nazi sabo-
teurs in Washington as an example
of this nations insistence on the
due process of law.
1t seemed gratifying. to me, that
we were setting out now in the midst
of bloodshed and hatred. to plan
curbs against violation on our part
of the very things for which we are
fighting.
One man, familiar with military
law and usage. pointed out to me
that when and if perpetrators of
these crimes are tried, the defense
is sure to be that the individual off,
Ger cannot be held to account for
merely executing the orders of his
superiors. If General x. for exam
pie, is arraigned for shooting inno-
cent hostages in Paris. he will an
swer that he was merely obeying in
structions from his superiors in Der.
lin.
Legally" my friend said, that
excuse will not wash. Military law
requires unquestioning obedience
only when the command given is
honorable. No soldier can be re-
quired to perform an act that is
contrary to honor.
IT the accused generals con-
science revults against executing
people who have committed no Of
tense, he is entitled to refuse to
obey the order. Even a German
court martial would uphold him in
that refusal
THE German gauleiters who
slaughter Jews and Poles and
Czechs cannot take refuge in the
plea that their crimes were com.
manded by Hitler or Himmler."