Evening star., 1949-02-09
Axis Sally Told
U. 5. She Might
beCa||ed Traitor
Jury Hears Recordings
OF 1943; Miss GiIIors
Back After Collapse

intently today while a recorded
feminine voice, identified as that
of Miss Mildred E. Gillars. who
is on trial on charges of treason,
confided that her fellow Americans
might think she was "a little
traitor" for being in Berlin at
the time of the propaganda broad
casts.
The gray-haired defendant, who
collapsed during the luncheon re-
cess of the trial yesterday, sat pale
and listless with her chin cupped
in one hand while two recordings
of Axis Sally programs broadcast
by the Berlin radio in 1943 were
played back to the jury.
Miss Gillars did not listen
through the earphones which lay
unused on the table before her and
she gulped frequently from a glass
of ice water. The jurors were
provided with written transcripts
of the recordings to which they
listened, but their eyes lifted fire.
quently from the pages to peer at
the defendant. =
Won Richter Admits Wife's Part.
On the witness stand sat Hans
Won Richter, former official Of the
German Broadcasting Co., who
had identified the voice OF Axis
Sally in the two recordings as that
of Miss Gillars.
Following the playbacks. James
J. Laughlin, Miss Gillars' attorney,
subjected Won Richter to vigorous
cross examination and wrung
from him the admission that his
American-born wife also had
broadcast messages for the Ger
man radio.
Mrs. Won Richter has returned
TO this country on an American
PASSPORT, the witness said.
When Chief Prosecutor John M.
Kelley, jr., objected to Mr..
Laughlin's line of questioning, the
balding defense attorney shouted
dramatically in front of the jury:
I'VE want to show that his
wife's broadcasts were far in ex-
cess of anything with which this
defendant is charged. There
should be equal justice. There
should not be prosecution OF some
and exoneration of others. ."
II object to this speech Mr..
Kelley thundered. And Judge
Curran ordered Mr.. Laughlin not
to pursue the subject further.
Defense Apparently Scores.
ss"Von Richter's admission that
his wife broadcast for the wartime
German radio apparently scored
q major point for the defense. Won
Richter said his wife, the daugh-
ter of a wealthy Ohio business
man, claimed dual citizenship
while she was in Germany and,
therefore. was subjected to the
total mobilization of manpower in
the Reich.
Miss Gillars summoned Mr.
Laughlin to her side while he was
crosS-eXamining Won Richter and
whispered in his ear. 1t was then
that Mr.. Laughlin asked the wit
ness if his wife had not been a
broadcaster.
She was a German citizen and
under the laws she was assigned to
this task" Won Richter said.
Told of Receiving U. S. Magazines.
In the recordings heard by the
fury before Mr.. Laughlin began
cross-examining Won Richter. the
voice of Axis Sally told how she
had just received a bundle of
American magazines in her Ber-
ling apartment in October. 1943.
II just sat down on the sofa
with them in a nice little corner
and browsed through them" the
voice told the jury of seven men
and five women.
II got so thrilled and also got
o little feeling of homesickness.
You know it's not very easy to
be on the other side of the camp
as in that on which your own
country is, but I've told you many
times, girls. you must think she's
O little traitor sitting over there
in Berlin when she should be
back home knitting socks for our
boys.
Explains Reason for Action.
mo, women, I tell you, I have
seen this problem so very. very
clearly. I was brought up such an
awfully good American, a 100 per
cent American and If you are. just
as I am, a 100 per cent American,
then you are also gentile-con-
scious. You are aware of the ways
that the Jews wish to take advan-
tage of you at every opportunity
which they can and because this
was is for me no war between
Germany and America in the real
sense of the word. but in the final
analogy a war between the Jews
and the gentiles.
well, girls, naturally I'm on the
German side because it's the gen.
tile side. And I've lived here now
for quite few years and I know
the Germans so we'll know
that not even the Fuehrer. Adolf
Hitler, has any interest whatever
in America and this war
makes him very. very unhappy.
The voice of Axis Sally was
tinged with scorn as she told the
women of America that she had
read in the American magazines
that they were having difficulty
gettigng ice cream and silk stock
ings. She urged American women
to keep their minds on the hard
ships and sufferings of the Amer
lean soldiers.
What? No ice cream? The
voice asked. scornfully.
What? No silk stockings? And
that in America at your stage in