White House Press Release, Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Lieutenant Colonel Joseph V. Hodgson

IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 6, 1946 The President has sent the following letter to Lt. Col. Joseph V. Hodgson, accepting his resignation as United States Commissioner on the United Nations War Crimes Commission: May 4, 1946 My dear Colonel: I have your letter of April 5 tendering your resig- nation as the United States Commissioner on the United Nations War Crimes Commission. You have contributed a great service to the United States as well as to our allied friends as Deputy Commis- sioner and later Commissioner on the War Crimes Commission. I am fully aware of the many difficult problems with which you were continually confronted and the efficient manner in which they were executed. Because of your desire to return to private life I feel obliged to accept your resignation, and in doing so I wish to tender you my personal thanks as well as those of the Nation. Very sincerely yours, NARA HARRY S. TRUMAN Following is the letter addressed to the President by Lt. Col. Hodgson: London, April 5, 1946 Dear Mr. President: After representing the United States on the United Nations War Crimes Commission for almost two years, first as the Deputy Commissioner and later as the Commissioner, I feel that the time has arrived when I can turn over my duties to another without detriment to the important program which is now being executed. Accordingly, I have requested to be relieved of active duty in the Army and am now tender- ing to you my resignation as the Commissioner for the United States. I have appreciated the honor of representing the United States and the opportunity of serving in a cause which means SO much to the future peace of the World. I hold firmly the view that the peaceful relations of States, as well as the observance of the basic laws of humanity, will be effectively promoted by punishing those who have waged ruthless and aggressivo warfare and brought so much misery and distress to so many with their savage and shock- ing crimes. It is regrettable that this deterrent was not furnished after the first World War and it is a source of deep satisfaction to now witness its creation. I also view with satisfaction the valuable work of the United Nations War Crimes Commission. It made the basic legal and factual studies and evolved a practical program for the punishment of war criminals well'in advance of the cessation of hostilities. It has considered the cases and furnished the Governments with lists containing the names of about fourteen thousand suspected war criminals. It has performed with success the difficult task of coordinat- ing and integrating the efforts of its seventeen member Governments, and to date has seen about one thousand accused (OVER)