A Good Deed to Goering's Credit

A good deed has come to light for Field Marshal Goering, who now stands on the list of Nazi leaders arraigned before the international tribunal at Nuremberg. This good deed might avail him much in his own defense; but in all likelihood he will not mention it and will not admit to it — indeed, he may well deny it altogether — even though one of the British newspapers has recorded it.

The particulars are that certain military commanders agreed on getting rid of Hitler in the year 1937, and plotted a conspiracy to that end — the German General Halder recounted its details when called upon to do so. At that point Goering wished to get in touch with Mr. Chamberlain, to inform him of the imminent riddance of Hitler and to avert the war whose omens had appeared in his policy. Goering did in fact send a messenger, one of his intimates, to Lord Vansittart, bearing a message to that effect; but that lord had by then lost Chamberlain's confidence and goodwill, and so the message never reached its destination.