SCANDAL OVER U.S.A. WAR TRIALS IN GERMANY

Grey River Argus, 28 October 1948, Page 7

SCANDAL OVER U.S.A. WAR TRIALS IN GERMANY

"Crook"" Methods Used to Obtain Convictions

(Rec. 9.45 L NEW YORK, October 26. The New York Dailv News columnist Mr John O’Donnell, says: Many of the Senators are so shocked at how United States officials conducted war crimes trials in Germany that they believe that if the full story should be told, it will kill America’s reputation in foreign countries. According to Mr O’Donnell, these Senators, who are opposed to a proposed Congressional investigation ol the trials, say: “Why not reverse, and change as many sentences as we can; cease the hangings and confess - our sins privately?" Mr O’Donnell says: A recent lepoit by experienced United States jurists, on the commutation of 29 of the death sentences passed, shows that, because American “avenging angels wanted some hanging cases to avenge tne killing of American prisoners during the Battle of the Bulge, there were phoney confessions obtained, by third degree methods, such as still are unheard of in even the toughest ponce headquarters basements. Mr O’Donnell also says: “Beatingsun, so that dentists and doctors have •' had to work overtime on fractured jav>, etc., are nothing new, but the trick of those investigators masquerading as Catholic Priests and Lutheran Pastors to secure confessions, and the introductions of the confessions as evidence at the trials, is something new in American jurisprudence. Now it appears that innocent men confessed under torture, and were promised that they would get off with life, instead of hanging, if they would accuse fellow soldiers. They 'were told, at the same time, that their mothers and sisters would be provided with ration cards, so that these latter would no longer have to submit to sexual relations with the conqueror troops to obtain food and cigarettes”.