14 Nov. 45
opposed to the addition of any defendant involving any delay in
the commencement of these proceedings. I take no technical point upon
that at all. I am content that you should deal with the matter now,
as if the Chief Prosecutors had had a further meeting, and as a
committee, in the way that they are required to act under the
Charter, had by majority decided to make this application. I mention
the matter only to explain the position in which I find myself, as
the representative of the British Government, in regard to it. At the
last meeting of Chief Prosecutors, there was agreement with the
British view. The representatives of the other two States as they
were quite entitled to do, have since that meeting come to a
different conclusion. Well, now, Sir, so far as that application is
concerned, I would say only this: The case against the existing
defendants, whether Gustav Krupp van Bohlen is included amongst them
or not, can be fully established without the joinder of any
additional person, whoever he might be. The general part played by
the industrialists can be fully established without the joinder of
any particular industrialist, whoever he might be. That case will
indeed be developed, and will be made clear in the course of this
Trial. That is not to say that Alfried Krupp should not be brought to
justice.
There is provision under the Charter for the holding of further
trials, and it may be according to the result of the present
proceedings, that hereafter other proceedings ought to be taken,
possibly against Alfried Krupp, possibly against other
industrialists, possibly against other people as well. At present, we
are concerned with the existing defendants. For our part, the case
against them has been ready for some time, and it can be shortly and
succinctly stated; and in my submission to the Tribunal, the
interests of justice demand, and world opinion expects, that these
men should be put upon their defense without further delay.
And I respectfully remind the Tribunal of what was said at the
opening session in Berlin by General Nikitchenko, in these terms:
"The individual defendants in
custody will be notified that they must be ready for trial within 30
days after the service of the Indictment upon them. Promptly
thereafter, the Tribunal shall fix and announce the date of the Trial
in Nuremberg, to take place not less than 30 days after the service
of the Indictment; and the defendants shall be advised of such date
as soon as it is fixed."
And then these words:
"It must be understood that the
Tribunal, which is directed by the Charter to secure an expeditious
hearing of the issues raised by the charges will not permit any
delay, either in the preparation of the defense, or of the
Trial."
Of course, if it happened that Alfried Krupp
were prepared to step into his fathers shoes in this matter, without
any delay in the