Acting Secretary of State Joseph C. Grew said today that the matter of punishment for crimes against the Jews in enemy countries was still being studied.
He told his press conference that the whole subject of war crimes is receiving the most earnest and active consideration of the United States and that there is a determination that war criminals will be brought to justice. Asked about punishment for “racial crimes” committed within Germany, Grew said he could not comment as the subject was still being studied.
The question of the Allied attitude on the punishment of crimes committed by the enemy against their own nationals, especially Jews, was brought forward this week by Sir Cecil Hurst, chairman of the United Nations War Crimes Commission, who resigned, reportedly because of the British Foreign Office’s failure to support the commission’s request for authority to deal with such offenses. Herbert C. Pell, American delegate on the commission, who returned here this week for conferences, is believed to be in agreement with Sir Cecil. Pell has been mentioned as the probable new chairman.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.