The sun., 1919-07-31
GERMAN COURT WILL
FIX BLAME FOR WAR
High Tribunal to. Determine
Guilt Only, Not Impose
Punishment.
sITTINGs TO BE PUBLIC
Ludendorff Condemns Action
An Barring War Orders on
~ Belgian Occupation.
Rr fhs AAoctated Press.

nU the A6bOCtoteo fFcee.
BEn1lN, July so.--A state tribunal IL
70 inquire into and FIX the responsibility
for the war. II will be composed Of the
Supreme Court Of the Empire, whose
president will be chairman. He will be
assisted by the president Of the Military
Court and the Judges Of the Prussian,
Bavarian and Hansa High Courts. In
addition, ten assistant judges will be
elected FIVE by the National Assembly
and Ave by committee Of the German
states
The sIttings will be public. The
tribunal will be only empowered to pro-
nounce upon the question of guilt; 1t will
not impose punishment.
Responsibility for the crown councils
decision in 1917 that Belgian territory
must be held was placed upon the
former German Emperor by Gen. Lu.
dendorff in a communication published
by the Deutsche .TaOes Zeitun0.
Gen. Ludendorff,s letter said that
great headquarters merely .sketehed the
military situation and stated what
measure they believed necessary TO
protect Germany's west frontier In an
economic way. The former German en-
ucFOTs Zen. kluueuuOTH bdiut uoSauSN e'.S
question and his decision was binding
upon military headquarters.
Condemns Publicity of reports.
Premier Bauer and DR.. Hermann
Mueller. Foreign Minister. were con-
demned by Gen. Ludendorff for their
statements In the German national as
sembly at weimar on Monday crit
icislng the crown councils actions and
making public reports OF Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg and Gen. Ludendorff
advising the retention and military &C.
cupation OF the Liege district. Gen.
Ludendorff inquired where DR.. Mueller
obtained the military information con-
corning great headquarters.
An outline of, what military authori-
ties were said to have considered the
necessary economic unity" with Bel
GUM also was published to-day by the
National Zeitun0.
This outline, according to the paper.
contemplated the extension Of the Ger
man customs system to Belgium. the
levyine of imperial taxes on monopolies
there, Officiating Belgium TO accept Ger
man control of Belgium taxation, trade
representation and the division OF the
income tax. II suggested also an agree
ment for the equality OF citizens of Ger
many and Belgium and various regula-
tons regarding shipping. legal and in
dustrial questions.
Wanted to Use Antwerp.
German shipping, according to the
published economic outline, would re-
ceive rights IN the harbor Of Antwerp,
Belgium would adopt the German mon
etary system, all damage claims against
Germany would be annulled. Germany
would take over the Belgian railroads,
and the German workmens protection
insurance law would be introduced in
Belgium. ="
DR.. Karl Helfferich. the former Vice
Chancellor, announced to-day that, hav-
ing failed to induce Matthias Erzberger
TO sue him, he. will enter suit against
Erzberger ito prove him liar and
traitor and to bring the truth to light"
A Berlin despatch under date OF July
reported that DR.. Helfferich. writing
In the Rreus zeitun0, blamed the
Reichstag's peace programme of July.
1917, fathered by Erzberger. for the
moral collapse of the German people.
DIR. .Helfferich charged that Erzberger
had staged a parliamentary revolution
without informing the Government, and
added that Erzberger's action was I'M
dertaken at the instigation of Count
Czernin. then Austro-Hungarian Foreign
Minister.