SENTENCES ON JAPANESE WAR LORDS TO STAND

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22825, 21 December 1948, Page 7

SENTENCES ON JAPANESE WAR LORDS TO STAND

(10.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 20. The U.S. Supreme Court today refused to interfere with the International Military Tribunal which condemned the former Premier, General Tojo, and six other Japanese war lords to death.

The court, by six votes to one, decided it had no authority over the tribunal.

Six judges said; “We are satisfied that the tribunal, in sentencing these petitioners, is not a tribunal of the United States.

The United States and other Allied countries conquered and now occupy and control Japan. General MacArthur has been selected and is acting as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

‘The military tribunal in sentencing these petitioners, has been set up by General MacArthur as the agent of the Allied Powers Now Power to Review

“Under the foregoing circumstances, the courts of the United States have no power or authority to review, to affirm, set aside or annul judgments and sentences imposed on these petitioners. and, for this reason, the motions for leave to file petitions for writs for habeas corpus are denied.”

The six affirmative members of the Supreme Court were Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Vinson. Mr. Justices Black, Reed. Frankfurter, Douglas and Burton. Mr. Justice Murphy dissented from the court’s decision, but wrote no opinion: Mr. Justice Rutledge reserved his decision at this lime, but said he would announce his, vote later Mr. Justice Jackson look no part in the final vote. Separate Groups of Appeals The Supreme Court’s action was on two separate groups of appeals. The first was filed by American attorneys on behalf of the former Premier, Koki Hirota, who helped to work out Japan’s war plans and for General K Doihara. called by the Chinese a “bird of evil omen.” Both were sentenced to hang. The American attorneys also appealed on behalf of Marquis Kido, adviser to the Emperor. Takasumi Oka, Chief of Naval Affairs, Lt -General K. Sato, Chief of the Military Affairs Bureau. Admiral Shimada, Navy Minister in General Tojo’s Cabinet, all of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment, plus Togo, a former Foreign Minister who was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.. No appeal was filed for Tojo. The Supreme Court's decision affects him and all of the 24 other Japanese war leaders convicted by the tribunal for war crimes.