Evening star., 1945-05-20

can take the stand in his own behalf
or he can refuse to take the stand and.
according to the rules. his refusal is not
to be considered against him. And he
has an opportunity unknown in the
criminal courts: He is allowed to make
an unsworn statement. The defense
attorney may even bring out what the
accused should say in his behalf by
leading questions. And the prosecutor
cannot cross s-examine him on this un-
sworn statement.
The unSworn statement is usually
used by the accused to tell the court
mething he feels would mitigate his
offense. 1t is often used to bring a good
military record or combat achievement
to the attention Of the court
In this case it was evidently used by
the accused to get something off his
mind.
Question by the defense:
q. Tell the court what you wish to
tell them
"A. The first thing you fellows want
to know is why I went AWOL. I am
married That is the first reason. I
went home to see my wife because she is
mine! She is the only thing in the
world that 1 own that is my own by
law and by God.
Il went home to see her. That is the
first reason why went AWOL. The
other reason is that went home to get
something else that the Army can't give
me.
Il wanted to 60. went. And when I
went to come back the captain asked
me. Why did you 60 home?'
He had the nerve. My captain!
Il don't know what his name is, but
captain somebody came up to me and
asked why I went home.
He Never Worked in His Life
why went home! I have been
there for 18 years. have been in the
Army about Is months.
Il eat when want to eat, eat what I
want to eat. sleep when I want to sleep,
sit down when I want to sit down. If
I wanted to get drunk, got drunk If
I wanted to smoke, I smoked. What
ever I wanted to do I did. never
worked in my life. Never!
Il will be 20 years old the 28th Of
December and have never worked in
my life. I went on a job and If I
didn't like the work I did not stay.
Most of the jobs I didn't like what I
had to do SO I didn't stay. They
brought me in the Army. They told
me it was going to be hard and that I
would have to do whole lot of things
I didn't have to do and you had to take
a whole lot of things that you didn't
want to take.
II said, OK. They got war to win.
am going to do my little bit, too
People told me why was fighting.
They told me all about how they treat
ed their soldiers and about what good
camps was going to.
II got it. How got it! At 5 o'clock
in the morning some guy comes and
snatches me out of bed and told me I
got to get up. And I am sleepy! But
he says I am no better than any one
else.
They give you an egg half done, a
half slice of toast, an apple and some
cold coffee. They call that breakfast.
II ate it because if didn't-well
there are whole lot of other fellows
besides myself to be fed.
Il tried and stood it as long as I
could and then I thought maybe if I
could make 'noncom' maybe it won't
be so bad. I went and I made nom
CON- II made corporal to be frank
A corporal. Then I had to tell the
man to stand up when he wanted to sit
down. had to tell him he could not
sleep when he was sleepy, and I had
to tell him No, you can't do this when
he wanted to do it. and You don't want
this when he wanted it.
II asked for a transfer. They said,
The only way we can transfer you is
to reduce you to private"
81 said, Reduce me-
II got reduced.
IT got sent to another outfit and also