HESS’S TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 24332, 22 October 1942, Page 5

HESS’S TRIAL

RUSSIAN DEMAND UNREASONABLE EVIDENCE HOT AVAILABLE DURING WAR (Red 8 a.m.) LONDON, October 21. • The sooner a British statesman makes a statement on the Hess case the better, says tlie ‘ Telegraph’s ’ Moscow corI respondent. Unless ‘ Pravela’s ’ editorial demand for the immediate trial of Hess meets with a healthy British reaction the Moscow campaign for immediate punishment of Gorman war criminals will bo continued. ‘ J’ravda’s ’ article probably merely causal irritation in London, but Russian party political opinion must be taken into account. A possible explanation pi the Moscow campaign is that it is intended to key up anti-German feeling in Britain. Nothing thus far has calmed the uneasiness the Hess affair caused in Russia, and Russian public (.pinion will not be eased until the Hess incident is liquidated or removed from British jurisdiction. It is useless to tell the ; Russians that Hess is held in one of Britain’s nastiest gaols. ‘The Times,’ in a loader, says: No reason appears to have been advanced why action against Hess, who was a prisoner in Britain before Russia became a belligerent, should he pressed at present. Such a stop is contrary to the British viewpoint that proceedings against the war criminals should be based on examination of evidence which could hardly become available while the war continues, and could only serve as a pretext for a campaign of frightfulness against British prisoners in Axis hands. These reasons make it impossible to accede to the Russian proposals. It is safe to say nothing at present would be hoard of Hess if the AngloAmerican armies wore lighting in Europe. The present controversy has few merits, but is important because it raises the broad issue of confidence between the Allies. If there were full Anglo-Russian confidence it would be impossible for a responsible Russian newspaper to ask whether Hess is regarded as German envoy in England enjoying immunity or to imagine that whatever is done or not done to Hess now or hereafter can have the slightest hearing on British determination to uproot Hitlerism. ‘ None of the United Nations can justly reproach its partners with weakness of spirit or slackening of resolution. Confidence will be established only when the conviction exists on both sides that tne war against Hitler is one war, not two, and plannablo as one war only through unified machinery of/grand strategy. The difference of opinion on strategy between Russia and the Allies would not have assumed the present dimensions except for Russian suspicions that the forces of Britain are not wholly behind the Anglo-Russian alliance. Such forces can constitute only a tiny minority without influence or olficial thought and policy, and it should not be diificult for Britain, by word and deed, to demonstrate their insignificance. BERLIN COMMENT. r The Berlin radio, commenting on the Russian demand for the immediate trial of Hess, said that if this criminal plan was carried out Germany would take the most drastic reprisals! NO PRIVILEGED STATUS LONDON, October 21. The Foreign. Secretary (Mr Anthony Eden) made a statement in the House of Commons to-day, in which he said that the Soviet Government had made no suggestion to Britain that Herr Hess should be brought to trial immediately. Mr Eden said that Hess was being treated as a prisoner of war. There had never been, nor could there be, any question of treating him as an envoy or of giving him any form of diplomatic or privileged status. He could reassure the House on that point. There was no cause, in Britain’s judgment, to apply to him any treatment other than' that now being elaborated by the United Nations for dealing with war criminals, whoever they might be. Mr Eden’s statement was received with cheers. . TOLL OF AXIS SHIPPING BRITISH SUBMARINES SCORE LONDON, October 21. British submarines in the Mediterranean have sunk four more enemy supply ships. One of those, a large vessel with an escort of destroyers, was attacked in a rough sea and heavy rain. In spite of these disadvantages, the subniarine scored three hits at close range, and the ship sank in two minutes. Another submarine snccessfullv attacked two ships, one of medium size and the other small, off the Italian coast. The fourth ship was sunk off Libya. It is only a few days since the Admiralty announced that seven enemy ships had boon sunk or damaged in the Mediterranean. R.A.F. BOMBERS OVER BURMA (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 21. An R.A.F. 'communique issued in New Delhi says that R.A.F. bombers yesterday attacked enemy targets in Myitta Valley, Burma. Transport vehicles in the vicinity of Kan were bombed, but, owing to heavy clouds, the results could not bo observed.