The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-30
Places Himself at Disposal
of Allies Under Article
227 of Treaty.
REQUEST MADE JUNE 25
Desired to Do SO in May, but
Was Dissuaded by the Ger
man Government.
By the associated Press.

BERLIN, June % (delayed) DIR.
Theobald Won Bethmann- Hollweg, for
merly German Chancellor, formally has
asked the allied and associate Powers
to place him on trial instead of the
abdicated Emperor. The former Chan
cellor says that he assumes RESPONSE
bility for the acts of Germany during
his period of Office and places himself
at the disposal of the Allies.
The request Of the former Chancel-
lor was made on June 25 in a commu-
nication to Premier Clemenceau, presl-
dent Of the conference. DR.. Won Beth
mann-Hollweg, it is said, desired to
take this step on May 20. but re-
Trained at that time on the expressed
wish of the German Government. The
communication asks Premier Clemen-
ceau to bring the following document
to the knowledge Of the allied and as
soclateu POWers:
"1n Article 227 Of the peace terms
the allied and associated Powers pub
licly arraign his Majesty William III.
of Hohenzollern, former German EN-
peror, for q supreme offence against
international morality and the sane
tity of treaties. At the same time
they announced their resolve to ad-
dress request to the Government of
the Netherlands for the surrender of
the former Emperor for purpose of
trial.
with reference thereto l take the
liberty Of addressing request to the
Powers to let the projected proceed
ings against his Majesty the En-
peror, be taken against me. For this
object l hereby place myself at the
disposal Of the allied and associated
Powers.
"As former German Imperial Chan
cellor l bear for my period of Office
sole responsibility. as regulated in the
German Constitution, for the political
i,cts Of the Emperor / believe / may
deluce therefrom the claim that the
reckoning which the allied and asso.
clated Powers desire to demand for
these acts shall be demanded solely
of me.
Being convinced that the allied
and associated Powers will not deny
international respect to the legal po-
Sition fixed by public constitutional
law. may express the hope that they
will be inclined to yield to my urgent
request. Signed
"NoN BETHMANN- HorLwEG.
"Hohenfnow, June o."
AMSTERDAM, June 29--The allied and
associated Powers will not ask for the
extradition OF the former Emperor. the
Paris correspondent OF the Tele1rdnt
says he learns. but will ask the Dutch
Government. in the name of the League
of Nations, to see that Herr Hohenzol-
lern does not escape the moral conse-
quences
II Is expected that as member of the
league, ne adds, Holland will inform the
former Emperor that he must appear
before an international court or leave the
country. highly placed French author
ity on international Law told the Corre-
spondent that the proceedings against the
former Emperor would be on moral
grounds and the sentence would be of a
moral character entirely. There is no
question OF a death sentence or imprison-
ment, the correspondent was told.
1t is probable. the correspondent con-
;inues, that the crimes of the former En-
peror against International morality in
starting the war and in violating Bel
gian neutrality will be condemned Sc
verely, the HohenEollerns will be de-
clared forever deposed and it will be
made impossible for the former En-
peror to do further harm by assigning
him place of residence from which he
must not move.
GAINED WIDEST FAME
BY "SCRAP OF PAPER"
Chancellor Crystaliized Spirit
of Nation in Dictum.