SIXTH DAY ENTERED

Chronicle (Levin), 28 August 1946, Page 5

SIXTH DAY ENTERED

COUSENS TREASON TRIAL Received Tuesdav, 8.30 p.m. SYDNEY, August 27. The hearing of the charge of treason agaiust Major Charles Hughes Cousens entered its sixth day today with tlie prospect that the Crown case will Jhusn on Thursday. Evidence was given by Lieutenant Colonel J. M. Prentice, who was (I.S.O. lntelligence at Eastern Comiuand siuce 1942. He, identified the voice in a recurd played in Court last Friday as that of Cousens and stateil that he had listoned in to broadeasts by Cousens from Radio Tokio. He remembered one in which Cousens suggesteil that Australia should sevor her connection witn the British Empire, sue for peace witti •Japan and take a position as one of tlie component powers in a greater East Asia co-prospei'ity sphere. A later broadcast claimed that Mr. Churchill was a vvarinonger and President Roosevelt a Jewish linanced and ruasonic inspired leader. Witness could deteet no attempt -to ronvey ihfonuation . to tlie Allies. . •' ' • ;; • ( ' ross-exanivired; wit riess s.a'idfhe did n/'t believe that Cousens had. bfoad^ast \fc41ingly. - . i Broadeasts he made from Radio Tokio were designed to give information to the Allies, said Major Cousens in a statement he is alleged to have made m Yokohama in Oetober, 1945. The statenient was tendered today by Captain George Simmie Guysi, United States Army, who said it was made by Cousens in his presence. Cousens said he delioeratelv adopted a manner that would kill the broadeasts he was forced to make, looked for chanees of sabotage, combed Allied shortwave broadeasts for questions he might be able to answer, and seleeted for "homesiekness" sessions, a woman announeer with a rougn voice. Cousens added he had been beaten by Ivempeitai men and had been threatened he would be handed over to them for torture.