Evening star., 1945-11-24
Hitler Gang Brighfens
|Af Trial Opportunity
To Talk and Listen

To Talk and Listen
BY EDWARD p. MORGAN,
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star and
Chicago Daily News.
NUREMBERG, Nov. 24.-The 20
survivors of Hitlers gang, staring
death in the face as major Nazi
war criminals, have suddenly taken
a new lease on life-if only . tempo
rary one.
"They are standing up to the
rigors Of the trial 50 far much bet
ter than we expected" one Amer
lean Army psychiatrist, who ex-
amines the prisoners, said.
The faces and behavior Of the
defendants in the courtroom, from
Hermann Goering on down, clearly
reflect their stimulated interest In
the proceedings. This change seems
to be due largely to two things:
l. The trial provided q break in
their boring prison routine, 1t added
something new to their drab lives
new faces, new surroundings, new
circumstances.
Defense Recognized.
2. AS the prosecutions ponderous
case is unfolded, and along with it,
some Of its defects, these 20 men
are becoming keener on the per-
lection of their defense. They are
seeing, to their surprise, perhaps,
that the international military
tribunal is actually giving them an
ear to objections of their counsel
a novelty with which Nazi juris-
prudence rarely bothered.
The reactions Of Rudolf Hess,
once one Of Nazi's most brilliant
minds, have been fascinating. The
day the trial opened, he sat between
Goering and Joachim Won Ribben-
trop, doing nothing except OCCASION
ally turning his face to gaze vacantly
around the room.
When the prosecution introduced
a complicated chart of the German
governmental structure, he rose
and leaned far over the barrier of
the prisoners dock to look at the
copy his counsel held with the avid
interest of child.
Hess Amnesia Discounted.
More than once he spoke to both
Goering and Won Ribbentrop. Sup
posedly suffering from self i'm
duced" amnesia. he has repeatedly
told interrogators that he does not
know who these two former COM
panions are. Goering said later that
his remarks were both lucid and
relevant.
He knew who they were, all
right" one doctor said. HE would
hardly be discussing the trial or
else with strangers"
The defense made the prosecution
somewhat uncomfortable by COM
planning that 1t was not getting
copies of documents which United
States Chief Counsel Robert H.
Jackson is introducing. virtually by
the wheelbarrow-load.
The prosecution pleaded that the
job OF processing was colossal and
took time, but this sounded a little
weak and even Lord Justice Law
renee, the tribunal president, ap-
peared on the verge of losing pa
thence when he could not find in the
exhibit something the prosecution
referred to from the floor. The pros
ecution's photostating department,
even by working "a hours a day,
hasn't caught up.
Saturday Adjournment.
Justice Lawrence Cancelled the
Saturday session to allow the de-
fense to get caught up on reading.
Presumably this also will give the
prosecution an opportunity to get
its material in better shape over
the week end.
When somebody mispronounces
German words, there are smirks Of
from several of the
defendants.
When the court accepted the
medical report that julius Streicher
was sane, the master Jew-baiter
beamed with SNUG pleasure. After
ward he remarked that his coun-
sells motion to have him examined
was not my idea in the first place. u
Hans Fritzsche, former propa-
gandist. told the doctors that it was
particularly refreshing to see new
faces and be allowed to talk to the
counsel. For months, many of the
defendants had talked to nobody
but interrogators and jailers.
A complication is to find some
way the defendants can smoke and
stretch during noon recesses. They
are not allowed to leave the court
room and must lunch there, too
They sit on wooden benches all
day and can move only when they
must go to the lavatory.
We have got to figure out some
way to relieve this monotony q
little, or their reactions will de-
teriorate," one doctor said.
Capt. Franz Won Papen, jr., who
is assisting his fathers defense
walked into the medical Office and
in English said pleasantly. my
old man is having trouble sleeping. >
The prisoners are not allowed
to have pillows and the captain
explained that the coat which Won
Papen puts under his head irri-
tates his face. He asked for a towel
The doctor, however, said that he
could not have a towel because
Robert Ley Qate labor front chief
used one to strangle himself. But
we will try to find something softer
for him." he said.