Evening star., 1944-07-20
Troops Perused
Bund's Paper,
Jury Is Told
Prosecution Says
Post Card Shows
Soldier Subscribed
BY CARTER BROOKE ZONES.

SOiOISJ SUOSCIIOe0
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Evidence intended to show that
members OF the American armed
forces received the weekly news.
paper Of the German American
Bund, with Its pro-Nazi, anti-Allied
propaganda, was offered in evi-
dence by the Government today
at the mass sedition trial In District
Court.
In the first exhibit of its kind.
the prosecution profYered, along
with large number of other docu-
ments, a post card disclosing that
an Army private, first class, sta
toned at Camp Mcclellan. Ala,
had subscribed to the bund's
Weckruf und Beobachter.
The rs defendants are charged
with conspiracy to undermine the
loyalty Of the armed forces.
Special Prosecutor Joseph w.
Burns had just read to the jury
many excerpts from the weekly
containing violent attacks on Amer
ican interventionists and British
sympathizers and defeatist articles
predicting heavy American casu.
alties.
Filled Out Subscription Blank.
The Army private, first class, was
shown in the exhibit to have filled
out subscription form printed in
the bund paper. A plate for this
E1lhGrY1nffnH Ak L.
quarters OF the organization, was
identified by William Luedtke. who
was national secretary Of the bund.
James j. Laughlin, ousted defense
attorney, told newspapermen out
side the courtroom he represented
Henry H. Klein, another defense
attorney, who has been cited to
appear tomorrow before Chief JUS
tice Edward c. Eicher to explain
why he quit the case without per-
mission. Mr.. Klein, who lives in
New York, will not appear to show
cause why he should not be held in
contempt OF court, Mr.. Laughlin
said.
MIR. Klein contended Justice
Elcher Is without authority to order
the lawyer to return from New York
for such a purpose, Mr.. Laughlin
said.
Exhibits Opposed.
p. Bateman Ennis, counsel for
Gerhard Wilhelm Kunze, national
bund leader, objected to the sheaf
OF exhibits offered by the Govern
ment today on the ground that Fed
eral agents had seized them Illegally
when national bund headquarters
was raided Immediately after Pearl
Harbor. Mr.. Ennis said the Gov.
ernment admitted this.
The Government" Prosecutor
Burns replied, docs not for a mo-
ment concede that these records
were seized Illegally We admit they
were seized without a search war
rant"
Mr.. Ennis said the burden was on
the prosecution to show the seizure
was legal.
Justice Eicher invited Mr.. Ennis
TO submit authority for his arpu-
ment and said he would rule on the
matter later.
Mistrial Move Denied.
At adjournment last night. Mr..
Ennis moved for a mistrial on
the ground the prosecution had
prejudiced the rights of the de.
PENDANTS hopelessly with its con.
slant emphasis on the racial issue.
The racial hatred which was the
continuous theme of the Nazis' does
not prove that any of the defend-
ants, even if some held similar views,
Joined in the plot charged in the
indictment, the attorney contended.
Now they've brought the Ku Klux
klan into this case" said Mr.. En-
MS. commenting on recent exhibits,
1T can have no purpose except to
prejudice the jury. I certainly do
not. and probably none of the Jurors
subscribes to the doctrines of the
klan. but that Is proof of nothing
IN this case. And the so-called
racial issue is not analogous to the
alleged conspiracy"
While Justice Eicher denied the
motion, he commented that it was
premature and indicated that such
motions would be entitled to careful
consideration at the close OF thu
Governments case.
Mr.. Ennis motion followed an
attempt by another defense LAWYER.
Ben Lindas, counsel for George Syl.
vester Viereck, to stop the trial on
the ground that a Government ex-
hlbit displayed to the jury had
prejudiced this defendant irrepar-
ably. This motion likewise was over.
ruled.
Objection Not Made in Time.
Mr.. Lindas' motion for a mistrial
was based on an issue of the bund's
newspaper. the Weckruf und Beo-
bachter. While Special Prosecutor
Burns called the jury's atten-
ton to an article headed, Los
Angeles Has Witch Hunt" it
was brought out that on the same
page appeared a story OF the in.
dicrment and arrest of Viereck on
a previous charge of violating the
Alien Agent Registration Act. The
jury could not have helped seeing
the adjacent account, Mr.. Lindas
contended
Justice Eicher held that the de.
Tense attorney had not made his
objection in time to prevent the
jury from seeing the newspaper and
he denied the motion without pass
ing on the factual question of
whether the jury saw the article"
Nick, 2-Year-0Id Collie,
Returns From k-q corns