Evening star., 1945-09-04
jackson
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jackson
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the world inhuman acts of which
the leaders of Germany were
/ guilty" he said.
This trial will have no bearing
on any possible trial of criminals
on the other side of the world )"
he said, referring to the possibility
OF trials of japanese leaders.
indictments Due October /,
Our present plan is to return the
indictments against the Germans
about October l. We will probably
have to wait about month for de-
tending counsel to study the indict-
mentS and prepare for trial which
means the trials probably will not
start until around November l. How
long they will take we cannot tell.
but 1 assure you the language diff
tlculties are enough in themselves.
with every word being translated
INTO four languages. The trial may
last month or longer"
1he present plan is to try the "a
nigh Nazls as a group, since the
same indictments will cover all.
Justice Jackson believes defending
counsel will be drawn from German
lawyers, although he does not vet
know the plans of defense counsel
nor who they may be.
The trials will be held before a
Big -Four Allied military tribunal
Would it not be a stigma on the
name Of a lawyer who defended
these men?" he was asked.
Il don't know" he said. Counsel
might consider such defense an act
OF national service to Germany" he
said, "or their patriotic duty. Frank
ly, do not know"
Justice Jackson said he and the
other members of the commission
have had to start from scratch.
since there is no precedent in
international law for the trial of
the heads of defeated state or the
commanders of beaten armies. He
said he has had the best of CO.
operation from the representatives
OF the other countries. although the
Russian representatives did not
fully concur in some of the proposed
measures until they had viewed the
Nazi prisoners and the lack of cod
ding they have had in the Nuern-
berg Jail.
Treated as Criminals.
"1haV .,
said Justice Jackson. They are
each in single cell, in solitary con-
flnement, and their meals are
brought to them. No longer do they
seem the proud, naughty, arrogant
Nazls who brought such destruc-
ton to Europe. They are just ordi-
nary men brought to justice, stripped
OF their power and arrogance.
And we do not coddle them. We
treat them as criminals awaiting
trial, no more, no less. When the
Russians saw them and the way they
are being handled they came around
! to our way of thinking.
In solitary confinement these for
mer masters of much of Europe have
plenty of time to think and reflect
on their past, Justice Jackson said.
adding that they are beginning to
talk about each other, which may
help us in our preparation of the
cases against them" He said the
War Grimes Commission has ample
evidence, and damning evidence,
against the men in Nuremberg, in
some cases over their own sigma
lures, in others by accounts of wit
nesSeS.
The German is methodical to the
nth degree" he said. He records
everything he does. He didn't strike
finger from Jew without making
record of it. We have complete
access to those records. They will
be used against the men on trial.
ut has been an intensely interest
ing experience" he said. And I
hope we may be able to set up
legal framework from which the
world may proceed to draw up a
code of law which may make war
making improbable to the heads of
the state making war; that these
individuals will be held individually
responsible in their persons. The
chain of responsibility, of course,
reaches from top to bottom In such
cases as the men of the Gestapo and
the SIS.
Would Convict Others.
Assuming these "a men are found
guilty and they are sentenced to
death, doesn't that mean that each
of the several hundred thousand
Gestapo and SIS men is equally
guilty and may receive the death
sentence?" he was asked.
Presumably it does, if these men
are found guilty" said Justice Jack
son. But don't you think the world
will tire of such long-drawn-out
procedure?
I'VE are determined, If we can. to
make war Improbable personally to
the heads of states which make
war and their responsible COM
manders."
1t was suggested that there is no
Circulation. July, 1e45