The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-11
Punish the Kaiser

Irrespective Of what Germany a nation
the question Of guilt that attaches to the men who
were directly responsible for the outbreak of the
war and ordered or sanctioned the brutallties and
atrocities that marked the Hun campaign from
the invasion of Belgium to the firing of the last
shot at Rheims.
This is a factor in the peace negotiations that
the allied people will not overlook in the final
reckoning. All sorts of conjectures are rife re-
garding the punishment and ultimate fate OF the
kaiser and his war lords. But in all of these eX-
pressions is found determined and deep-seated
opinion that the guilty ones must not be allowed
TO escape without punishment that will be more
than deprivation of power or curtailment of
pleasure Punishment that fits the crime is
asked for.
Long before the war broke out Germany
signed the Hague conventions. The kaiser and
his war lords understood their provisions. Among
them were: "All necessary measures should be
taken to spare as far possible buildings devot
ed to religious worship, arts, science, and charity,
historical monuments, and places of assembly Of
sick and wounded" THE honor and the rights
Of family, the life of individuals, and private pro-
perty should be respected" "Private property
shall not be confscated." Contributions in
money in occupied territory shall be levied "only
for the needs of the army of the administration
Of said territory" "Looting is positively forbid
den.' Hospital ships shall be respected. The
bombardment of undefended cities or villages is
forbidden. ut is forbidden to lay submarine
mines off the coasts and ports of the enemy with
the sole object of nterrupting commercial navi-
CATION"
Every allied soldier, every reader of war
news every inhabitant of the territory conquer
ed by the Germans, and the kaiser and his mill
tary advisers, know that these solemn obligations
were brazenly violated by the Hun commanders.
Repeated remonstrances of the Allied countries
met with the same reply necessity knows no
law"
When America entered the war, she affirmed
her acceptance of the principle of the Allies that
it was the duty of civilized nations to put an end
to the rascality and criminality of the outlaws
who defied obligations which they had assumed
with every other civilized nation. Now the Allies
have won the war. The Germans are doomed to
defeat. Shall their leaders escape unscathed and
untouched? Shall they be permitted to enjoy
pardon for their crimes?
Hardly person who believes in the ineXorable
dictates of justice, who knows that Justice is as
necessary in our moral code as are righteousness
or forgiveness, will say, let them go free their
consciences will inflict sufficient punishment for
their crimes.
The sentiment found among individuals is re-
Elected by the London Daily Mail which saws
editorally:
The Germans must leave the territories they have
occupied with Asace Lorraine unredeemed Italy, Serbia
and Russia. They restore the properly thew bavo
stolen and pay for all the damage they done and
they must further surrender for by the Allies the
great criminals of the Among these we NAV name
as typical PERSONS William H. the author of the war and
Of the order to murder prisoners; General Won Kuc
for the outrages committed First Prussfan ARMY.
General Bulow for his general order of Aug % 1911
with my authorization the of Andenne has been
laid in ashes and 10 inhabitants have been shot: Cen
era Stenger for his order of Aug g. 1914 to murder