Validity of Tribunal

Reports on the potential defense move to challenge the validity of the Tokyo tribunal's jurisdiction and it's legality after Sir William Webb indicated that that line of reasoning would be permitted. Also relates continued outbursts in court by defendant Shumei Okawa as well as the reading of the full indictment and subsequent adjournment.

Reports on the statements of defense attorney Major Bruce Blakeney who asserted that "America's atom bombing of Hiroshima was no less murderous than Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor." Chief Prosecutor Joseph B. Keenan offered a quick rebuttal stating "we make no apologies for the use of the atomic bomb against Japan." He further argued, regarding the validity of the Tribunal, that "the lack of precedent . . . should not be used as an escape hatch for the guilty." The article also discusses the motion submitted by W. G. Furness to have four of the accused military generals tried by court martial rather than an international tribunal.

Reports on the defense challenges to the replacement of John P. Higgins with Myron C. Cramer as a judge on the Military Tribunal for the Far East. The defense requested a mistrial on the grounds that charter had not specifically allowed for Cramer to sit as a replacement on the tribunal.

Prepared remarks to the Court regarding "the motion attacking the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, filed by Mr. Kiyose representing Tojo, one of the accused." Lays out case refuting Kiyose's motion.

Full title "Court upholds right of Cramer on Bench, Defense motion to remove new American justice is denied at War Tribunal." Reports on the efforts by the defense section to have a mistrial declared in light of the fact that Cramer had been appointed as a replacement for Higgins and therefore had not been allocated a spot on the court in the tribunal's charter (he would have been a 12th appointment). The motion had been presented by Owen Cunningham, defense attorney for Hiroshi Oshima. Not all of the defense attorney's agreed with Cunningham's tactic.