Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-23
TEUTON PLOTTERS
WILL Be PUNISHED
FOR MANY CRIMES
Clemenceau Sends Reply to
Note From Hun
Delegation.
DENIES ANY COMPARATIVE
TREATMENT OF SOLDIERS
Laws Will Not Be Suspended
Just Because Peace Treaty
Is Signed.
MUST SERVE OUT SENTENCES
Murdcrcrs Will Go to Death Whcu
Proper Time Comes, Despite
Citizenship.
tUsT SERVE OUT SENTENCES
Will Go to Death When
Proper Time Comes, Despite
Citizenship.

PARIS, May 22.-Gcrman plotters
and criminals who have been reached
during the war by the strong arm
of the law of any OF the allied and
associated powers. and who are now
in prisons or nternmcnt camps can
not be released and repatriated either
now or when peace Is signed. but must
serve out their sentences. regardless
of their German citizenship.
This. in substance. is the allied reply
10 :: note from the German peace dele
cation requesting the repatriation OF
such prisoners at the earliest possible
moment
Premier Clemenceau, who, as head
Count Won Brockdorf- -Rantzau's note
the latter, by the way. habitually signs
himself merely "Brockdorff- Rantzau',--
points as an example TO the case OF a
German prisoner who killed "in cold
blood" farmer and his wife on whose
nanr tarm he he was put to work: This pris-
martiaL ma Execution was suspended I'll!
the signing of peace. In accordance
win Inc Bern convention.
VIII Execute Slayer.
Rut this murderer must die for his
deco, peace or no peace. the French, +,
premier explains in his reply. for to .
rsnr,evs pen nrn n,a hin % upot the conclusion or
peace would be contrary to the duo
and necessary course Of justice.
Briehy, Clemenceau makes clear that
the laws violated by Germans now i'm.
prisoned or interned for crimes nor
penal offences are tho laws 81 ~
f9un'rss tSSrn lie s I'll that hold them and tMi,ai M
being suspended just because peace Is
signed. =
III The German note regarding German
follows: war "ho 'h'erned civilians X
notsd ttdT'wThe with German delegation has
treaty handed to it recognizes liz
principle that the repariatfnn es r:r ene
term termed 9rsS0nGas eiTiiian. OF war and German in
ZIG greatest rossihie rapia.f5. -
Seek Special Commission.
q. ~ Is IN accordance with the opinion
tho t'erlnan peace delegation thar
execusion exc ssT OF OF set, settling the details OF
entrusted TO a special commission DC
] missions ronxersations w sat.,f between the
beiilsrent states in reEard>to nraoe @. tne
nS oSte Decn shown to be the best maens
to be S'aing a,I III the difficulties, and it ought
.nent to clear up by early discnsai,n, ni1.
q d. cor % 9'Inmission any divergcncies ~ v;s%
The "ofs C;or IN regard to certain points.
NE IN mind the differences of i,,ri.ii
~ iison IN the various countries conc.rnsIz
is indisnsn ine opihion. for instance, that It
ana lnterned civilians. who havn boa,, va.
"e.ained FOR offences other than tbns,
conditionally Pd'riated un-
~, ne German government Recognized
ene same principle as regard tho nrisn,,'
Iias ls OF war and interned civilians. ~.
Germany. 'e'"'heo III
Alterations Arc Asked.
IN the view of the German ne,c.
@ salIon, certain alleviations shoujd'
Of ,is. mater of course and for reasons
OF equity, be agreed upon in favor nf
prisoners of war and interned civilian,
tSn t me period which Will elapse until
thcir hnal departures
however been compelled to note thar
tnc arrangements contemplated ars
saaforab'e only to the allies and as
sociated governments, for instance e.
Ia. as concerns the restoration OF nri
M Mvate property the search for persons
be taken of graves -
me German peace delegation pre-
sumeS that for questions such as tho
complete 'Word missing) reciprocity
humanity 'easohs ot
because OF the great technical diff
,ra mcui'!es or repatriating prisoners OF
~ IN We" OF the shortage Of tonnage and
inc INC lack a OF coal. the greatest import
soi.tian snre snon,d af De attached to hnding .
oeiore the dispatch OF the repatriatnd
prisoners and interned civilians actual
ly begins.
Wnnt Early Consideration.
For that reason the German neace
delegation proposes that the commits
sion should star, its deliberations
forthwith, separately from all Other
questions.
The explanation of this proposaI
iies. firstly. in the fact that there are
thousands of German prisoners OF war
and interned civilians in overseas
countries. but the German delegation
Is likewise thinking OF the Germans
VINO are in Siberia, and whose dispatch
seems TO be question not only OF
special urgency, but OF extraordinary
difficulty.
The German delegation. for reasons
OF internal policy, regards il OF the
utmost Importance that the German
prisoners of war and interned civilians
should be returned to their homes in
as normal condition as possible into
the ... economic life OF the country.
That only appears possible-apar,
from the settlement OF the TRANSPORT
problcms--if everything possible Is
done 10 Improve the mental and physt-
cal state OF those who are returning
home.
Asks Help From Allies.
Having regard to the present situa-
tion in respect OF economic existence
tconditionsO In Germany, II must he
admitted that Germany IN unable 10
do with her own resources everything
rcouired in order 10 secure that end. l
la nfn II,