One of our readers has informed us of this:
The Times (London ), March 13, 1948, p. 4, reports:
"SINISTER AIMS OF COMMUNISM SIR H. SHAWCROSS ON WESTERN UNION Sir Hartley Shawcross, the Attorney-General, speaking at Stourbridge last night [March 12th], said that recent tragic events in Czechoslovakia [communist putsch followed by suicide of Masaryk] had brought a new sense of urgency to the movement for western union. [...] SAME NAZI TECHNIQUE [...] Step by stepp I have been forced more and more to the conclusion that the aims of Communism in Europe are sinister and deadly aims. I prosecuted the Nazis in Nuremberg. With my Russian colleagues I condemned Nazi aggression and Nazi terror. I feel shame and humiliation now to see under a different name the same aims pursued, the same technique followed, without check. [...]"
This Times article does not claim to be based on an AP press release, nor does it contain the following sentences, sometimes quoted with other wording:
"I believe now that Hitler and the German People did not want war. But we declared war on Germany, intent on destryoing her. In this we were encouraged by the Jews around Roosevelt. This was said to be in accordance with our principle of the 'Balance of Power'. We ignored Hitler's pleading not to enter into war. Now we are forced to realize that Hitler was right. He offered us the co-operation of Germany. Instead, since 1945, we have been facing the immense power of the Soviet Empire."
I will keep looking in the media of these days for other press clippings, also for an AP release, if there was one. If it exists, it is more likely to have been on March 12, 1948, rather than March 16. The often quoted year 1984 is an obvious result of a digit swap.