The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-05-09
4 Supreme Offense Against
international Morality
MEET AMERICAN OBJECTION
Germany To Be Required To Help
Bring To Justice All Who
Violated international
Laws.
Laws.

the Allies Tor every outrage anu VIOLA
ton of international law during the
war.
Furthermore, all secrets of the Ger
man War Office must be barred to per-
NIT the Allies to discover those re-
sponsible. The former Kaiser would
be tried by an international high court
composed of FIVE judges. The United
States, Great Britain, France, Italy
and Japan would each select one
judge.
Other persons, including probably
Won Tirpitz, who was the leader Of
the submarine campaign, and possibly
Hindenburg and Ludendorff, probably
would be tried my military courts.
The text of the proposals, as given
out by the State Department.
Text OF Proposals.
ARTICLE I. The Allies and asso-
ciated powers publicly arraign William
II of Hohenzollern, formerly German
Emperor, not for an offense against
criminal law, but for supreme Of
Tense against international morality
and the sanctity of treaties. A spe-
cial tribunal will be constituted to try
the accused, thereby assuring him the
guarantees essential to the right of de-
Tense. 1t will be composed OF five
judges, one appointed by each of the
following five powers, namely, the
United States of America, Great
Britain, France, Italy and Japan. In
it's decision the tribunal will be guild
ed by the highest motives of interna-
tional policy with view to vindicat-
ing the solemn obligations of interna-
tional undertakings and the validity OF
international morality. 1t will be its
duty to fix the punishment which it
considers should be imposed. The Al
lied and associated powers will ad-
dress request to the Government OF
the Netherlands for the surrender to
them of the former Emperor in order
that he may be put on trial.
ARTICLE ii. The German Govern
ment, not having insured the punish
ment of the persons accused of having
exercised acts in violation of the laws
and customs Of war, such persons will
be brought before the military tribu-
nails by the Allies and associated pow
ers and, if found guilty, sentenced to
the punishments laid down by military
law. The German Government shall
hand over to the Allied and associated
powers, or to such one of them as shall
so request, all persons accused of hav-
ing committed an act in violation of
the laws. and customs of war who are
specified either by name or by the
rank, Office or employment which they
held under the German authorities.
ARTICLE III. Persons guilty of
criminal acts against the nationals of
any one of the Allied and associated
powers will be brought before the mil
itary tribunal Of that power. All per-
sons guilty of criminal acts against
the nationals of more than one of the
Allied and associated powers will be
brought before military tribunal
composed of members Of the military
tribunal Of the powers concerned. In
every case the accused will be entitled
to name his own counsel.
ARTICLE Nv. The German Govern
ment undertakes to furnish all docu-
ments and information of every kind,
the production of which may be con-
sidered necessary, to insure the full
knowledge of the discriminating acts,
the discovery of the offenders and the
just appreciation of the responsibility.
Germany Must Help Run Down Guilty.
The proposal to try the German ex-
Kaiser has been pushed by the French
delegates throughout the conference in
face of reported opposition from jap
anese delegates and apathy from some
others.
Provisions requiring a fair trial,
however, may have been inserted to
overcome this opposition and to insure
justice, even if stern to those RESPONSE
BILE for the. war.
Germany would be required to assist
the Allies in running down the guilty
ones, and this provision, if adopted,
will force the German peace delegates
to admit the responsibility of the for
mer regime for the war and would put
Germany on record for all time. Not
only perpetrators of outrages in Bel
GUM and France, but the thousands
of spies working in all countries, in
Guiding the United States, could be ap-
pretended by revelations which Ger
many would promise under the pend
ing articles. The record Of the Ger
man Secret Service and her efficient
espionage service and scores of spy
plots in the United States would be
RIM down.
Especially significant is Article III,
which provides military trial for those
guilty Of criminal acts against citizens
of Allied countries. This provision
would rope in the hundreds of military
officials who took part in the ruthless