War Criminals

Sir Cecil Hurst, chairman of the United Nations War Crimes Commission, wrote three letters to the British Foreign Office.

The first, written last May, asked for an extension of the commission's powers to try Nazis for crimes against their own nationals, e.g., Jews. The answer, which arrived four months later, said: no. Sir Cecil's second letter, written last October, asked for international courts to try arch war criminals like Hitler, Himmler, Mussolini. The answer, which arrived three months later, said: no. A fortnight ago Sir Cecil wrote a third letter: his resignation. This week he was succeeded by Lord Justice Finlay, eminent British jurist.

More numbing than British Foreign Office snubs had been Russia's resolute refusal to join the 15-nation commission. Main reason was "technical": the Soviet Union had insisted on a member for each of its 16 constituent republics. During more than a year the commission had ordered no trials, drawn no indictments. Meanwhile, Russia tried war criminals periodically. In Lublin a month ago six SS (Elite) Guardsmen were indicted, tried and hanged in three days for mass murder committed in the Maidenek "extermination" camp. While the United Nations were still floundering for a workable plan, Russia, as usual, had one.

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