Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-04

CRIME OF LESE MAJEHTE
EXTRAORDINARY sENTENCEsFoH
INDIscREET GERMANS.
Grave oftense to Speak Other Than Re-
spectfully Of Members Of the
Royal Family.


From the Londau Express
In all monarehical countries It Is an AK
iom. accepted by everybody. that the per-
son and character of the ruling sovereign
are sacred. and even though the idea may
rest upon nothing more tangible than Gus
tom or an unwritten law. 1t Is observed In
most countries in a loyal spirit. Especial
iy Is this the case in England, where there
could probably not be found a newspaper,
however scurrilous. that would speak dis
respectfully Of King Edward: and one
might walk about in the public places and
listen IN vain for an expression of con-
tempt or opprobrium uttered against any
member of the royal family.
In Germany on the other hand, where
the laws regarding ''lese majestic" are SO
-etrlct. scarcely week passes without the
convection of some unfortunate person who
mas dared to infringe one of the scores OF
clauses in the law. and suffers accordingly.
"Lese majestic" succinctly defined, is the
crime OF utterfng an insult to the ruling
monarch Of the country. In the German
statute book no fewer than 125 paragraphs
are devoted to expoundng the law, and
600 books of reference for the information
or lawyers have been published on the in
tricate subject.
The law is SO worded as to bring within
its scope any remark which can by the ex-
something rejecting, be it ever so remote
ly, on the character or person of the SOW
ereign. and to make it a criminal offense.
The clauses have been so loosely worded
that the widest possible Interpretation may
be placed on any remark which falls under
suspicion. Lese majestic can be COM
mitted by words or by actions, in private
conversations no less than in public
speeches. and In personal and confidential
letters to friends or relations, as well as in
newspaper articles or books
Privacy No Excuse.
If two persons are carrying or a con-
versation alone in a private room. and one
of them should make a remark disrespect-
full to the kaiser. the other may denounce
him to the police, and he would probably
be convicted and sentenced to imprison-
ment. 1t will easily be understood that
under this law, and with the excessive zeal
OF the German police official, the author
tiles find plenty of work to do in the d.
rection of securing convictions for this Of
Tense.
The latest case occurred few days ago.
when Berlin butcher was sentenced TO
SIX months Imprisonment for having SpOK-
en- unexpectedly of the kaiser three years
ago. Not long ago the editor of German
newspaper received sentence of three
months for renlarking in his journal that
the kaiser received 92,0O0 daily for append
ing his signature to a few state documents.
The law of "lese majestic" Is no respecter
OF persons: schoolboys or old women are
equally visited with the full penalties. An
old woman of Seventythree, living in Dres-
den. was sentenced to six months impris-
onment for remarking that the fate of King
Alexander of Servia ought to befall King
George Of Saxony; and a bakers boy or
fifteen in Silesia had three weeks impris-
onment for insulting the majesty Of the
kaiser.
If the culprft is soldier his punishment
for "lese majestic is excessively severe
A private was drummed out of the army
ana sentenced to seven years imprison-
ment for saying to a comrade that the
kaiser might have slowed down the train
in which he was travelling in order TO see
the salute of the soldiers who were lining
the route.
Strange Causes Of Offense.
Last year an innkeeper of Lchtenberg
was sentenced to three months imprison-
ment for a somewhat curious form of "Iese
majestic" It was alleged against him that
In his conversation with his customers he
used the German language in an unworthy
fashion, and was not over nice In his ex-
pressions when talking to a police official.
He was conservative, a member Of a
patriotic rifle club and had served in the
army, but these proofs of his unauestion-
able loyalty did not save him from dire
punishment
One OF the most extraordinary prosecr-
tons was that against a governess who
was convicted of 'Iese majestic" for having
written her name In the visitors book of an
motel Immediately beneath the signatures
of the King of Saxony and two Processes
Newspaper editors are frequent victims or
the law In this connection. Two of them
were once sentenced to four months ana
nine months Imprisonment respectively and
to heavy fines for publishing an article
which was held to suggest in some obscure
way that the kaiser was afraid of his own
subjects, and third was convicted for
having published telegram from cor
respondent reporting the death of an al
legged stepbrother of the kaiser.
On another occasion, when a newspaper
pupllshed an incorrect version of a speech
made by the kaiser to his recruits, all the
persons responsible for the reporting and
publishing of the speech Were prosecuted
for "iese majestic
Story of the Kaiser.
A German marine while in Kiel on leave
had an argument with aScomrade in a res
taurant, and made use of an expression
which was held to have been insulting to
the kaiser. He was let off with eight
months Imprisonment in consideration Of
the fact that he was not quite sober at the
time.
A foreigner visiting Germany NAV fall
within the scope of this absurd law though
he cannot, of course, be imprisoned for its
infraction. Two American ladies were
however, arrested and expelled from the
country for talking Gn English in a man
ner not fattering to the Emperor William.
Perhaps the most absurd case of all was
one that did not end In conviction
even German oficialdom was not proof
against the humor of the situation When
the health of the kaiser was being drunk
at festivities in honor of his birthday at
Scharley in Silesia, a schoolboy In the
crowd was observed to smile. The public
prosecutor Immediately set on foot an ac-
ton for "lese majestic" but the schooIboy