Evening star., 1919-04-19
B|GFOUR REVISING
PLANS TO PUNISH
Guilty of War Crimes Re-
sponsibi|ity Divided in
Two Classes.
WOMEN DEMAND REDRESS

PARIS, April is 10y the Associated
Press). The plan of tne council of four
to have Belgium prosecute the former
German emperor on the charge of re-
sponsibiiity for the war is meeting with
objections. which are again bringing up
the whole subject for revision.
Those who have the matter in hand
divide the question of war responsl-
bilities into two distinct classes. The
first includes military and naval OF
tenders, like Gen. Ludendorff and Adj
miral Won Tirpitz. and those accused
of various excesseS against the usual
rules OF warfare. The second class
includes former Emperor William. eX-
Chancellor Won Bethmanrl Hol!weg
and others whose offense is chiehy OF
a political nature.
No International Court.
Concerning the first class. that of
military offenders. it is agreed that
ttal suitable to undertake such mil.
tafy trials, but it is pointed out that
every country has its own system OF
court-martial for military oHemses
has developed the suggestion that
these countries combine their courts
martial and act under a slnsIe initi-
tary procedure codified from all the
separate military laws. .,, ho
A joint court-martial would thus oe
constituted capable of dealing with
offenders of the first, or military ana
naval class. >.
Concerning the political offenders. 1t
is said that tribunal is not neces-
sary and would be ineffective, owing
to the legal immunity of political
offenders. Therefore. it is maintalned
that the action against Napoleon l
furnishes a precedent for the deter
mination of the allied course as
general measure of policy.
Action Regarding Napoleon.
In the case of Napoleon there was
no trial, but he was confined on the
Island of ST. Helena as genera
measure of, policy for the tranquility
of Europe. Some such general pol
icy is designed to reach ex-Emperor
William and other political Offenders,
with Belgium or another country
against which the political offenses
for the purpose of securing the extra
dition of the individual as prelimi-
nary to putting the general policy
into effect.
A petition asking for the punish
ment of the Germans responsible , for
Roubaix and Tourcoing in the spring
of 1916. will soon be handed to the
peace conference; 1t is signed by 15.-
900 women, including Nine. CASTOR
Calmette and Mrs. Anna Roosevelt
The petition says:
Text of Petition
I'm spite of the most elementary
laws of humanity, thousands of wom-
en-. girls and children of every con-
dition were systematically abducted
from their families. and were forced
to submit to the most odious treat
ment. We women of France-svith
bleeding and broken hearts demand
justice from the peacesconference on
behalf of our martyred sisters. ~
ITO prevent such crimes from ever
being. perpetrated again we demand
that those guilty of them be punish
ed like ordinary criminals. We trust
you will exact full justice from Ger
many and her allies. We are nearing
the anniversary of the day, April 23,
1916, when that odious deed against
which the women of all nations pro-
test was carried out and we firmly
trust that another year win not
elapse before the guilty are punished,
Dotn those who issued the order from
Berlin and those who executed il in
the most brutal way"