The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-10-28
PLANNED BY GERMAN UNDER
SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN
AFFAIRS.
WORLD WIDE CONSPIRACY
INVOLVED, HE DECLARES
Countless British, Belgian and French
Soldiers Again Fighting in Ranks
Who Owe Their Escape to Band
Headed by English Woman,
Says Teuton Official.

Berlin, via the Hague and London,
Oct. 26.-Dr. Alfred F. NJ. thinner
man, German under-secretary for for
eign affairs, has issued an official ex-
PLANTATION of the recent execution in
Belgium of Miss Edith Cavel!, the
British nurse. He prefaced his re-
marks by the declaration that he had
examined every jot and title of the
evidence with the greatest care and
found the verdict, though regrettable,
to be just. His statement follows:
Official Explanation Made.
Il see by the British and the Amer
lean press that the shooting of an Eng
lish woman and the conviction of sew
eral other women in Brussels for trea-
son have created a great impression
and that we are being severely criti-
cised. 1t is indeed hard that a woman
must be executed, but remember to
what shall a state come which is in
war If it allows to pass unnoticed a
crime against the safety of it's armies
because committed by m No
law book in the world, least of all
those dealing with war regulations,
makes such a differentiation and the
feminine sex has but one preference,
according to legal usages, namely that
women in a delicate condition may not
be executed. Otherwise man and wo.
man are equal before the law and
only their degree Of guilt makes a diff
ference in the sentence for the crime
and it's consequences.
Claims Worldwide Plot.
I'm the Cavell case l have reviewed
the decision of the court and examin-
ed the evidence down to the smallest
details, The result is so convicting
and all the circumstances are so clear
and convincing that no court martial
in the world would have reached any
other decision. For 1t concerns not
the act of II single person, rather II
concerns a wellthought-out, world
wide conspiracy which succeeded for
nine months to render the most valu-
able services to the enemy to the dis
advantage of our army. Countless
British, Belgian and French soldiers
now are again fighting in the ranks
who W their escape to the activity o.
the band now sentenced, at the head
of which stood Miss Cavell.
Greatest Duties in Wsr.
with such a situation under the
very ayes of the authorities only the
utmost severity can bring relief and
the government violates the most ele-
mental duty toward the army and It's
safety that does not adopt tho srict-
est measures . These duties In war are
greater than any other.
Il admit certainly that the motive
of those convicted was not unnoble
and that they acted out of love for the
fatherland. But in war time one must
be ready to seal ones love for the
fatherland with ones blood whether
one opposes the enemy IN battle or
whether one commits acts in its in
terest which justly carry with them
the death penalty.
New Attempts Feared.
IF others are shown mercy it will
be at the cost of our army for II is to
be feared that new attempts will be
made to injure us If it is believed pos
sible escape without punishment
or with the risk of only a light sen.
tence.
THE weakness Of our enemies ar.
guments is proved by the fact that
they do not attempt to combat the JUS
tice OF the sentence, but try to in.
f1uence public opinion against rs by
false reports of the execution. 1t is
claimed that the soldiers assigned to
the execution first refused to shoot and
finally fired SO faulty that the officers
had to kill the accused with a revol.
yer. No word Of this is true. I have
the official report of the execution In
which 1t Is established that 1t took
place entirely within established reg
ulations and that death occurred I'm.
mediately after the first salvo, as the
physician present attests."