WAR CRIMINALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 November 1944, Page 8

WAR CRIMINALS

RUSSIAN CRITICISM. NEW YORK, October 29. The New York Herald-Tribune’s Washington correspondent says: A Soviet Information Bulletin here has reprinted from “War and the Working Calss,” an article sharply criticising Sir Cecil Hurst, the Chairman of the United Nations Commission which is investigating war crimes. The Russian publication cites various statements by Sir Cecil Hurst on the handling of war criminals. It says: “All of this so-called jurisprudence is a poorly-concealed attempt to protect war criminals from law, justice, and punishment. In the majestic temple of justice which he erects, he provides extensive bomb-shelters, dug-outs, and trenches, in which indicted criminals may creep to escape the hand of justice.” The Russians allege Sir Cecil Hurst has suggested that Hitler and .Mussolini should be dealt with “as Napoleon was dealt with.”

The article also takes exception to Sir Cecil Hurst’s statement that, before the United Nations Commission can decide to hand over criminals, it must decide whether a criminal is guilty of only one crime.- The Soviet article says: “It some Nazi miscreants only once threw children into a lire or asphyxiated civilians in murder waggons, does a demand that they be handed over lose validity?” 'rhe paper also challenges a statement attributed to Sir C. Hurst* that, all of the United Nations together cannot always secure the delivery of war criminals from neutral States. The article points out: “Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill clearly stated war criminals would be pursued to the uttermost ends of the earth.”