WAR CRIMINALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25215, 30 May 1945, Page 7

WAR CRIMINALS

TRIAL PROCEDURE, SUGGESTED TRIBUNAL URGENCY -NEED STRESSED (Reed. 8.30 D.m.) LONDON. May 28 Mr Justice Jackson, chief United States counsel for the WaT Crimea Commission, arrived in London today from Paris. Before leaving Paris he made the following statement, according to a correspondent at Supreme Headquarter#: "We hope the trials may commence within a few weeks. We have had wars before with victors and losers, but this is the first time anyone has tried to fix guilt and try those responsible for offences 1 against humanity. All Possible Speed "This is our chance to do something now, and we must get on with all possible speed. I have ascertained the existence of documents and other materials which will be of the greatest value, and which we have arranged to have put in such form as will facilitate preparation of the principal cases for trials at the earliest possible moment. "There are two categories of cases. The first involves offences against members of the American armed forces in violation of the laws of war, and are being prepared by the Judge-Advocate-General of Nice. The second category involves crimes by Nazis against the inhabitants of Nazi-occupied localities and these will be referred to local Courts." . Mr Justice Jackson said he felt that while the intricate task of reconciling differences in the laws of the four countries within the framework of the military tribunals remained, the guiding principle should be to trace the crimes to their roots, not stopping at petty underlings who carried out the crimes, but striking directly at the seat of power that directed them. Agreement Difficult _No new charges were being invented. War criminals would be tried for deeds that had been regarded as a crime in every country for centuries—even their own jn more enlightened days. To get Britain, the United States, Russia and France to agree on an internal code and a method of procedure was more difficult than to decide what constituted a war crime, but the:se nations had already accepted broad principles, although the details were still being worked out. There was every reason to believe that the four countries would meet no insurmountable obstacles in agreeing on war criminal procedure, with punishment and objectives as outlined in the Moscow Declaration of 1943.

The Paris correspondent of the New York Times reports that the formation of an international military tribunal to try war criminals, as proposed by the . United States to Britain, Russia and France, has reached only the discussion stage, although Mr Justice Jackson has pointed out that speed is of the utmost importance. Hopes lor Progress Mr Justice Jackson is accompanied by -General Donovan as his principal assistant. It is hoped that, as a result of Mr Justice Jackson's visit, rapid progress will be made in the deliberations which have been actively proceeding for several weeks with regard to the establishment of the necessary machinery to supplement the decision recorded in the Moscow Declaration of November, 1943. This was that those major criminals whose crimes had not been confined to a particular geographical location would be punished by joint decision of the Allies. The British and United States Governments have always been as one with regard to the point made by President Truman in his statement appointing Mr Justice Jackson, namely, that quick judgment should'he taken. American Senator's Demand By the terms of this statement Mr Justice Jackson was appointed as "chief counsel for the United States ip .preparing the prosecution of charges of atrocities against war criminals, and such leaders of Europe and the Axis Powers and their principal agents and accessories as the United States Government may agree with any of the United Nations to bring to trial before an international military tribunal." A Washington message savs that Senator S. W. Lucas (Democrat—lllinois) told the Senate today that if the other Allies do not agree soon on plans for procedure for trving war criminals, the United States, after givw ing diie notice, should bring the criminals m American hands to trial without delay. He added that the American people wanted Goering, Rosenberg, Doenitz, von Rundstedt and their ißc to be brought to immediate trial. CHINESE MOPPING UP FIGHTING NEAR NANNINQ ENEMY LIFELINE IN PERIL CHUNGKING. May 28 Spearheads of the Chinese forces in the South Kwangsi attack have spread out from Nanning and begun mopping I up the Japanese in the vicinity of the | city. They have cleared the north bank of the Si River. The Japanese, on the left bank, are being surrounded and attacked. Other troops have attacked the western flank of the Japanese overland corridor on a 60-mile front north of Nanning and have reached the outskirts of Pinyang, 58 miles away. The capture of Pinyang would consolidate the Chinese hold on the overland highway to Indo-China, and reduce the Japanese chances of regaining Nanning. Chinese troops have been grinding into Japan's trans-China lifeline to South-east Asia at five points along the SoO-mile front, says the Associated Press correspondent. There are indications that Japan might be preparing to quit South China. Such a withdrawal would cut off all overland escape routes for the Japanese armies in Burma, Malaya, Siam and Indo-China, and force suicide stands against the Allies. LANCASTER BOMBERS PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA (Reed 8 p.m.) CANBERRA. May 29 The first Australian-made Lancaster bombers will be ready for delivery early next year, said the Minister of Aircraft. Production, Mr N. J. Makin. Once ttr> production lines were completed and the first Lancaster produced. the production of the 1 bombers would be speeded up considerably. The Australian-made Lancasters will be of the very latest design for longrange Pacifio warfare.