Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-28
Monday. April "a 1919.
Trial Of the Kaiser

1t is a fact shat the demand for
the trial and sentence Of the former
emperor Of Germany Is growing
steadily less. There may still be
some soft shelled pacifsts who hail
this fact with JOY as an evidence Of
the moral regeneration Of the human
race. It Is not due to any such
thing; it Is partly the result Of the
softenins lapse Of time. We look at
many things differently now than We
did on November II last. 1t is char
acteristic Of US to forget il We do not
forgive.
The chief reason for the present
seeming spirit Of mercy toward Mr..
Hohenzollern is that we now realize
Wat he was not alone to blame for
that happened. and that Furnishing
Sim will not punish his people. For a
perilously long time President Wilson
refused to let US recognize the fact
that the German nation sanctioned
the war and rejoiced in it as long as
1t was going in their favor. The
bulk Of evidence Is too overwhelming
for any man longer to believe the
German people were driven against
their will to embark on a scheme that
was to make them the leading nation
Of the world. Their experts had all
the calculations at hand to show them
the price they must pay for the bar
gain they would get. Their past his
tory had demonstrated that war could
be made the most profitable business
on earth. Tho Danish war Of 1864,
the Austrian war Of 1866, and the
Franco Prussian war Of 1870 yielded
returns varying from so per cent. to
$50 per cent. profit on the investment.
according to their own estimate.
1t Is legally as well as physically
impossible to bring the whole German
nation to trial. for the right to go to
war is an inalienable principle of ma
tional sovereignty. 1t is also impos-
sible to bring the former emperor to
trial on that charge as he was the
head Of the government: at the time
OF declaring war. But there are
plenty Of other counts against him
for which it would seem that any
grand jury might bring in indict-
ments. The violation Of Belgian neu-
trality was Mt only q crime against
international law, but also a clear
case Of breach Of contract. The sub
marine campaign violated interna-
tional law, and may also be classified
under the head Of piracy. In the Or
gained murders Of civilians in vari-
Gus parts of the theatre Of war there
Is evidence to show that the emperor
vas undoubtedly an accessory before
the fact. The deportations from
northern .ance and Belgium were
nothing less than organized abduc-
tons.
The report Of the commission on
responsibility for the war which
just published. fixes the guilt on
Germany and Austria Hungary and
presents 80 indictments for violations
of the laws and customs Of war. It
further declares that all persons be-
longing to enemy countries, however
high their station, may be objects of
judicial prosecution, AID demands
the constitution Of high tribunal to
judge crimes committed during the
war.
Belgium is not to be blamed for
refusing to take the responsibility of
trying the Hohenzollern. She has
suffered UNNECESSARILY. and there
might be a sort Of sentimental pic
turesqueness in seeing the bully get
his punishment at the hand Of his
smallest victim. but the risk is too
great and the responsibility too heavy
for any one nation to assume. More
over. Belgium is too near to Germany,
and unless Germany Is more secure
ly tied down than forecasts from the
peace conference indicate that she
win be. the chances Of revenge on
Belgium become too plausible to b
ignored. An international court.
perchance under the league Of nations
should be charged with the trial and
sentence Of the leaders in the inter.
national crime, and should make the
repetition Of the act 20 exemplary in
tn consequences that It will be out Of
the ranss Of probability in the future.
The present status Of william Ho-
heo9ouesn u most unsatisfactory
ana menactng to the peace Of Europe.
AonaEchists always survive in every
country. and In Germany they are
ALL ALIVE. Hindenbury. Luden-
dor6. Bernstor6 and the whole Jun
ker party are In Germany. and all are
busy. We don't know just what they
are doing. but We can be sure they
are not advancing bol1hsvim. Il u
.