27 Nov. 45
ment of the secret expenditure was
from then on dispensed with. There remained only the inspecting
duties of the accounting office of the German Reich."
Another heading-- "Independence of the
Commander-in-Chief of the Navy":
"The Commander-in-Chief of the
Navy, Admiral Raeder, honorary doctor, had received thereby a
far-reaching independence in the building and development of the
Navy. This was only hampered in so far as the previous concealment of
rearmament had to be continued in consideration of the Versailles
Treaty. Besides the ordinary budget there remained the previous
special budget, which was greatly increased in view of the
considerable credit for the provision of labor, which was made
available by the Reich. Wide powers in the handling of these credits
were given to the Director of the Budget Department of the Navy, up
to 1934 Commodore Schüssler, afterwards Commodore Foerste. These
took into consideration the increased responsibility of the Chief of
the Budget."
Another heading- ``Declaration of Military Freedom":
"When the Führer, relying upon
the strengthening of the Armed Forces executed in the meanwhile,
announced the restoration of the military sovereignty of the German
Reich, the last-mentioned limitation on rearmament works, namely, the
external camouflage, was eliminated. Freed from all the shackles
which have hampered our ability to move freely on and under water, on
land, and in the air, for one and a half decades, and carried by the
newly-awakened fighting spirit of the whole nation, the Armed Forces,
and as a part of it, the Navy, can lead with full strength towards
its completion, the rearmament already under way with the goal of
securing for the Reich its rightful position in the
world."
If the Tribunal please, at this moment I have a new problem about
proof which I believe we have not discussed. I have in my hand an
English translation of an interrogation of the Defendant Erich
Raeder. Of course he knows he was interrogated; he knows what he
said. I don't believe we have furnished copies of this interrogation
to defendants' counsel. I don't know whether under the circumstances
I am at liberty to read from it or not. If I do read from it I
suggest that the defendants' counsel will all get the complete text
of it--I mean of what I read into the transcript.
THE PRESIDENT: Has the counsel for the Defendant Raeder any
objection to this interrogation being read?