14 Nov. 45
than I, who have long been active in this task, but if the task
in which we are engaged is worth doing at all, it is worth doing
well; and I do not see how we can justify the placing of our
convenience or a response to en uninformed demand for haste ahead of
doing this task thoroughly. I know there is impatience to be on with
the trial, but I venture to say that very few litigations in the
United States involving one plaintiff and one defendant under local
transactions in a regularly established court come to trial in 8
months after the event, and 8 months ago the German Army was in
possession of this room and in possession of the evidence that we
have now. So we make no apology for the time that has been taken in
getting together a case which covers a continent, a decade of time,
and the affairs of most of the nations of the earth.
We do not think the addition of Alfried Krupp need delay this
Trial by the usual allowance of time to the defendant. The work
already done on behalf of Krupp von Bohlen would no doubt be
available to Alfried. The organization Krupp is the source of the
documents and of most of the evidence on which the Defense will
depend. If this request of the United States of America, the Soviet
Union, and the French Republic is granted, and Alfried Krupp is
joined, we would then have no objection to the dismissal, which is
the real substance of the motion, of the elder Krupp, whose condition
doubtless precludes his being brought to trial in person.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Justice Jackson, may I draw your attention to
Page 5 of the written statement of the United States? At the bottom
of Page 5 you say, "the prosecutors representing the Soviet
Union, the French Republic, and the United Kingdom unanimously oppose
inclusion of Alfried Krupp", and then you go on to say on the
fourth line of Page 6, "immediately upon service of the
Indictment, learning the serious condition of Krupp, the United
States again called a meeting of prosecutors and proposed an
amendment to include Alfried Krupp. Again the proposal of the United
States was defeated by a vote of three to one." Are you now
telling the Tribunal that there has been another meeting at which the
prosecutors have reversed their two previous decisions?
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Your Honor, I understand the French
Delegation has filed a statement with the Secretary of the Tribunal,
which joins in the position of the United States. I have just been
called, on behalf of the Soviet Prosecutor, General Rudenko, who is
now in Moscow, to advise us that the Soviet Delegation now joins, and
I was this morning authorized to speak in their behalf. Both those
delegations desire to reduce, as, of course, do we, any possible
delay to a minimum.
I may say that the disagreement at the outset over the inclusion
of Alfried was due not to any difference of opinion as to whether