Evening star., 1946-10-01
BY the Associated Press

by fhe Assoctufed PfeSs
NUREMBERG, Oct. f.-Follo,o-
ing is the tert OF the Internd-
fional Military Tribunals Derdict
cpatnSt Hermann Goering:
Goering is indicted on all foul
counts. The evidence shows that
after Hitler, he was the most proni-
nent man in the Nazi regime. He
was commander -in-chief Of the
Luftwaffe, plenipotentiary for the
four-year plan and had tremendous
influence with Hitler, at least until
1943, when their relationship de-
Perforated, ending in his arrest In
1945. He testified that Hitler kept
him informed of all important mill
tary and political problems.
Crimes against peace.
From the moment he Joined the
party in 1922 and took command of
the street fighting organization, the
SA, Goering was the adviser, the
active agent of Hitler and one Of the
prime leaders of the Nazi move
ment. As Hitler's political deputy
he was largely instrumental in
bringing the National Socialists to
power in 1888 and was charged with
consolidating this power and ex-
panding German armed might.
He developed the Gestapo and
created the first concentration
camps, relinquishing them to Hmm
Ter in 1884; conducted the Roehm
purge in that year, and engineered
the sordid proceedings which re-
suited in the removal of Won Blom-
berg and Won Fritsche from the
Army.
In 1886 he became plenipotentiary
for the four-year plan, and in theory
and in practice was the economic
dictator of the Reich. Shortly after
the pact of Munich, he announced
that he would embark on a flvefold
expansion of the Luftwaffe, and
speed rearmament with emphasis on
offensive weapons.
RingIeader In Anschluss.
Goering was one of the five i'm
portant leaders present at the con-
ference of November, 1887, and he
attended the other important con-
ferences already discussed in this
judgment.
In the Austrian Anschluss, he was
indeed the central figure, the ring
leader.
He said in court: 81 must take
100 per cent responsibility I
even overruled objections by the
Fuehrer and brought everything to
its final development"
In the seizure of the Sudetenland,
he played his role at Luftwaffe chief
by planning an air offensive which
proved unnecessary and his role as
politician by lulling the Czechs with
false promises of friendship. The
night before the invasion of Czecho-
slovakia and the absorption of Bo-
hemia and Moravia, at conference
with Hitler and President Hacha he
threatened to bomb Prague if Hacha
did not submit. This threat he ad-
mitted in his testimony.
Goering attended the Reich Chan
celery meeting of % May, 1899,
when Hitler told his military lead
ers, There is, therefore, no ques-
ton of sparing Poland" and was
present at the Obersalzburg brief
ing of % August. 1889, and the evil
dence shows he was active in the
diplomatic maneuvers which fol-
lowed.
With Hitler's connivance, he used
the Swedish businessman, Dahlerus,
as go-between to the British, as
described by Dahlerus to this tribu-
nal, to try to prevent the British
government from keeping its guar
antee to the Poles.
He commanded the Luftwaffe in
the attack on Poland and through
out the aggressive wars which fol-
lowed.
Followed Hitler Unhesitatingly.
Even if he opposed Hitlers plans
against Norway and the Soviet Un-
ion as he alleged, it is clear that
he did so only for strategic reasons;
once Hitler had decided the issue,
he followed him without hesitation.
He made it clear in his testimony
that these differences were never
theological or legal. He was Sin a
rage" about the invasion of Norway,
but only because he had not received
sufficient warning to prepare the Of
fensive.
He admitted he approved of the
attack: MY attitude was perfectly
positive" He was active in prepar-
ing and executing the Yugoslavian
and Greek campaigns, and testified
that Plan Marita," the attack on
Greece, had been prepared long
beforehand.
The Soviet Union he regarded as
the most threatening menace to
Germany" but said there was not
immediate military necessity for the
attack. Indeed, his only objection
to the war of aggression against the
U. S. S. r. was its timing: He wished
for strategic reasons to delay until
Britain was conquered. He testified:
my point of view was decided by
political and military reasons only"
After his own admissions to this
tribunal, from the positions which
he held, the conferences he at
tended, AND the public words he
uttered, there can remain no doubt
that Goering was the moving force
for aggressive war second only to
Hitler. He was the pianner and
prime mover in the military and
diplomatic preparation for war
which Germany pursued.
WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES
AGAINST HUMANITY.
The record is filled with Goering's
admissions of his completely in the
use of slave labor. 1--WE did use this
labor for security reasons so that
they would not be active in their
own country and would not work
against us. On the other hand, they
served to help in the economic war"
And again: workers were forced to
come to the Reich. That is some
thing have not denied"
The man who spoke these words
was plenipotentiary for the four
year plan charged with the recruit
,,,o,a% 81 f;o,. of