Evening star., 1946-02-25
Churchill Statement
.Spurred Nazi Plans,
Ribbentrop Claims
BY the Associated Press

NUREMBERG, Feb. 25.-Joachim
Won Ribbentrop'S attorney today told
the International Military Tribunal
an alleged prewar declaration by
Winston Churchill that Britain
would form coalition Of nations
to destroy Germany if she should
become too strong" may have in
spired Adolf Hitler to rearm Ger
many and to plan aggressive wars.
The attorneys statement was
made during arguments on Ribben-
trop's request that Mr.. Churchill be
summoned to testify at Nuremberg
Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, acting chief
British prosecutor, insisted that the
former Prime Minister held no of
fetal position at the time Ribben-
trop was the German Ambassador in
London, when the Churchill decla-
ration anegedly was made.
In a written plea, Ribbentrop as
serted Mr.. Churchill visited the en-
bassy in London and told him that
England was intelligent and ex-
perienced enough to get other pow
ers on England's side if Germany
should become too strong"
Hitler Informed.
"On this occasion Churchill stated
it was unmistakable that England
would destroy Germany if she
should become too strong the plea
added.
DR.. Martin Horn, counsel for Rib
bentrop, told the tribunal today that
Mr.. Churchill's alleged declaration
was relayed at once by Ribbentrop
to Hitler"
DR.. Horn asserted "it is highly
probable that this statement was one
OF the reasons" that Hitler began
what the prosecution charged was a
Nazi conspiracy to wage war.
Field Marshal Gen. Wilhelm
Keitel today requested that Her
mann Goering and eight other of his
fellow defendants testify in his be-
half and announced his intention
OF taking the witness stand himself
Blomberg Testimony Sought.
Others among total of Is wit
nesses whom Keitel wants are Nazi
officers. One of these is Field Mar
shal Werner Won Blomberg, Hitler's
first war minister, who is very ill.,
in Nuremberg.
Won Blomberg's grave condition
was reported to the tribunal by Brit
ish prosecutors.
DR.. Otto Nelte, Keiters lawyer,
told the court he expected Won
Blomberg would testify that Hitler's
aggressive intentions were not ap-
parent until 1888 and that even
high-ranking military men did not
know what happened in concentra-
ton camps.
Keitel's request for witnesses and
documents to support his defense will
be argued before the tribunal after
defense and prosecuting attorneys
complete their debate on the list of
witnesses demanded by Ribbentrop.
Jodl Testimony Sought.
The field marshal disclosed In
petition to the tribunal that he
wanted his fellow officer, Col. Gen.
Gustav Jodl, to testify that "the
defendant CKeiteD offered several
times to resign from his office and
that the witness, Jodl, once took
the pistol out of his hand"
In addition to this effort to show
that he threatened to take his own
life rather than continue as chief
of the high command under Hitler,
Keitel said that he wanted Giles
Romilly, nephew of Winston
Churchill, as witness to testify
that prisoners of war in German
prison of war camps were treated
we'll" and that English troops
were on their way to Narvik Nor
way) at the time that German
troops landed in Narvik"
In addition to Goering and Jodl,
the fellow prisoners whom Keitel
wants as witnesses are former
Grand Admiral Eric Raeder, Grand