FARTHING DAMAGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1941, Page 5

FARTHING DAMAGES

AWARDED TO DETAINED BRITISH M.P.

DENOUNCED BY JUDGE AS DISLOYAL.

LIBEL ACTION AGAINST “NEW YORK TIMES.”

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, July 31.

Captain A. H. Ramsay, Conservative member of the House of Commons and founder of the Right Club, who has been detained by the Government since shortly after the outbreak of war, was awarded a farthing damages in an action for libel against the “New York Times” arising cut of an allegation by the newspaper that he had sent treasonable information to the German Legation in Dublin.

Mr Justice Atkinson ordered Ramsay to pay the bulk of defendant’s costs. He disallowed defendant's pleas of privilege and innocent dissemination. There was a further plea of justification of the allegation that Ramsay was a Fifth Columnist for Hitler, but no attempt had been made to justify the accusation of treason. In his judgment Mr Justice Atkinson said he believed Ramsay approved Nazi propaganda and did what he cculd to assist its propagation. He had endeavoured to persuade the British people' that they were fighting in the interests of Jewry. “Ramsay is disloyal, heart and soul, to the King, Government and people,” the judge said. “He disapproved of Mr Churchill and many members of Cabinet so strongly that he was able to say in the witness box that he disapproved of them more strongly than he did that loathsome traitor Joyce. I believe that any jury would find that the expression Fifth Columnist applied to Ramsay. It is beyond all question that he is pro-Hitler. lam satisfied that no jury would give him damages for the treason allegation.’’

An Australian Associated Press message from London on July 18 stated that during his cross-examination Ramsay said that Mr. J. C. Cross, father of the British High Commissioner in Australia, Sir Ronald Cross, was secretary of the Right Club, which he (Ramsay) had founded.

Ramsay added that the Duke of Wellington was chairman at most of the meetings. Tyler Kent, a former member of the United States Embassy in London, and William Joyce (Lord "Haw Haw”) were members of the club.

Answering the judge. Ramsay said the objects of the Right Club were not put in writing because the.y were not really formulated. The membership book was deposited in Tyler Kent's flat, and was kept secret because certain people did not wish their connection with the club to be known. » In reference to literature found when his house was searched. Ramsay said he collected all sorts. He approved some, but not all. Captain Ramsay is at present detained under the National Security Regulations. Kent and Anna Wolkoff, daughter of a Russian naval attache, were imprisoned last year for an offence under the Official Secrets Act.