The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-07-03
HOLLWEC WOULD
PROTECT KAISER
SAYS HE ASSUMES RESPONSE
BILITY FOR ACTS OF GER-
MANY DURING HIS TERM

Berlin, Saturday, June 2S.--(By
the Associated Press).-Dr. Theo-
bald Won Bethman Hollweg, former
German chancellor, has formally ask
ed the Allied and associated powers
to place him on trial instead Of the
former Emperor. The former chan
cellor says that he assumes response
bi}ity fer the acts of Germany during
his period of office and places him.
self at the disposal of the Allies.
The request of the former chan
cellor was made on June 25 In a
communication to Premier Clemen-
ceau. president of the conference.
DIR. Won BethmannHollweg,it is said,
desired to take this step on May 20,
but refrained at that time on the eX-
pressed wish of the German Govern
ment. The communication asked Pre-
mier Clemenceau to bring the follow.
ing document to the knowledge OF
the Allied and associated powers:
ain article 227 of the peace terms
the Allied and associated powers
publicly arraign his Majesty, Will
liam II, of Hohenzollern, former Ger
. man Emperor, for a supreme offense
AGAINST international morality and
tie sanctity of treaties. At the, same
time thew announce their resolve to
address request to the government
of The Netherlands for the surreno-
er of the former Emperor for pur-
pose Of trial.
aWith reference thereto l take the
liberty of addressing a request 70
the powers to let the projected pro-
eeedings against his Majesty, the
Emperor, be taken against me. For
this object / hereby place myself at
the disposal of the Allied and asso-
ciated powers.
aAs former German imperial chan
cellor bear for my period OF office
sole responsibility, as regulated IN
the German Constitution, for the
political acts of the Emperor. l be-
fieye I may deduce therefrom the
claim that the reckoning which the
Allied and associated powers desire
to demand for these acts shall De
demanded solely of me. an.
"Being convinced that the Allied
, and associated powers will not deny
International respect to the iegal
position fixed by public constitution,
al law, l may express the hope that
they will be inclined to yield to my
urgent request.
(Signedl uy
DIR. Won Bethmann-Hollweg was
German chancellor from 1909 to July
Ia 1917. He succeeded Prince Won
Buelow.
The definition of the treaty guar
anteeing the neutrality of Belgium
as a scrap of paper" was made oy
Won Bethmann- -Hoilweg in an address
to the Reichstag shortly after the
beginning of the war. The former
chancellor has blamed the militarists
for starting the war, while he, IN
turn, has been blamed.
Last February the former chancel-
lor offered to go before a tribunal 70
rive an accounting for his steward,
Shin as chancellor. 1t was announced
in Berlin on March q that Won Beth
mann -Hollweg would be among those
who would be tried, by the German
court which would investigate re-
sponsibility for the loss of the war
by Germany.
He has been mentioned several
times as among those who might be
tried by the Allies for political Of
lenses in connection with the origin
of the war.
Dr.von Bethmann- Hollweg is sixty
two years old. Before becoming
chancellor he was Prussian minister
of the interior and imperial treasur'
er and vice chancellor. He held the
rank of lieutenant general in the
German army. Since his retirement
from office the former chancellor
has been living at Hohenfnow, his
estate, twenty-seven miles north OF
Berlin.