The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-07-05
LLOYD GEORGE
LONDON :
BY SURPRISE
PLANS FOR TRIAL Of FORMER
KAISER WERE A WELL KEPT
SECRET. ACCORDING TO LON
DON PRESS.

London. July 4 The only surprise
IF the report by Premier Lloyd George
on the work of the peace conference
10 the house of commons yesterday
was the news that the former Ger
man emperor would be tried in Lon
don
The decision to bring the former
emperor to London. with other prom
inent accused persons, has been a we'll
kept secret, and it is understood NJ.
Lloyd George was responsible for the
proposal. Holland. however, has yet
to be reckoned with, it is reported.
Dutch public opinion has seemed to
strongly support the kaisers right
of asylum there. and there are many
predictions Holland may refuse to
give up the deposed monarch and
that the powers will not cocrce her.
Great state trials in England, of
which there have been none for
many years. have been held in West
minister Hail.. but it is not believed
William Hohenzollern will not be Civ
en- that honor The procedure for
this trial will be laid down by a com
mission which will be appointed by a
committee which the allies will soon
set up to execute the provisions of
chosen by the British, American the
French and Italian and Japanese gov
ernments and it is expected they will
constitute the court. In that event
the Earl of Reading, Lord Chief JUS
tice, will sit for Great Britain and
Edward Douglas White. of Louisiana.
chief justice of the supreme court OF
the United States. is regarded as the
logical choice of the American govern
ment. Parliamentary gossip holds that
the former emperor certainly should
not be given a privileged position in
court. but should be put in the dock
like any other man charged with \
crime
Trial is looked for this autumn, if
it occurs. and steps for the kaiser
extradition are expected to be taken
soon. if not already begun. Dutch
newspapers have discussed Count Ho-
henzollern' extradition ever since he
took refuge in Holland and the gem
eral sentiment appears to be that
it would be a humiliation for Hol
land TO surrender the former monarch
at the demand of the powers which
demand would be untenable under the
law since the kaiser's case does not
come under extradition treaties and
the charge of a supreme offense
a against international morality and the
sanctity of treaties is not covered by
existing laws.
The Nieuwe Rotterdamche Courant,
in an article which is reputed to have
been inspired, recently said the Dutch
government might be prepared to
! make the necessary changes in its
! constitutional law on being given GER
, tain guarantees as to the constitution
! of the court and the charter of the
| trial. The guarantees specified by the
| newspaper were that impartial judges
! who would not be of accusing nation
! alities would preside and that the for
| mer emperor might be given the right
! to produce all available evidence in
| his defense.
| The Handelsblad. of Amsterdam. re-
| Gently said regarding the former en-
! peror and crown prince: Both of them
| have been admitted to this country;
as a matter of fact, not as matter
| of right. for no authorization to travel
| or reside in Holland has been issued
! to them in accordance with the law o.
/ 1S49 relating to foreigners, nor are
| they interned as dangerous foreigners
| under the temporary law of 1898
/ which requires that a foreigner to be
| informed must be deemed dangerous to
| public order, safety, health or moral