New Britain herald., 1919-06-26
Germans Are Also Informed That Those Responsible Must Stand Trial Before Military Tribunal.
BURNING OF FRENCH
 FLAGS INCLUDED TOO

Paris, June 26.-Germany has been notified in a note sent today by the Allies that they possess the right to punish the persons responsible for the destruction of the German ships and to collect reparation for the loss. The sinking of the fleet is de- nounced as violation of the armi- stice and a deliberate breach in ad- vance of the conditions of peace. When the investigations have been completed, the note states, the Allies Will exact "the necessary reparation."
 Provisions of Armistice.
 The Allied and associated power to- day sent the following letter to the German peace deleg ation:
 June 25, 1919.
 MT. President: The terms of the armistice signed by Germany on the 11th of November, 1918, provided as follows:
 Article 23. The German surface warships which shall be specified by the Allies and the United States shall forthwith be disarmed and thereafter lnterned in neutral ports or failing them, in the Allied ports designated by the Allies and the United States They shall there remain under super vision by the Allies and the United States only care and maintenance par ties being left on board
 Sunk By German Order.
 ''On June 2r, the German warships which had been handed over to the Allied ard associated powers and were at anchor in the roadstead at Scapa Flow with the German care and main tenanCe parties on board as provided in the armistice, were sunk by these par ties under the orders of the German admiral in command, according to in formation which has been collected and transmitted by the British ad- miralty. The German admiral in com mand of these parties of the German naval forces has alleged that he acted in the belief that the armistice eX- pired on June 21 at midday and conse- quently in his opinion the destruction in question was no violation of it's |, terms.
 Tn law, Germany, by signing the terms of Article 23, set out above, en- tered into an undertaking that the ships handed over by her should re- main in the ports indicated by the Allied and associated powers, and that care and maintenance parties should be left on board with such instruc- tion and under such orders as would ensure that the armistice should be observed.
 Was Act of Bad Faith. "The sinking of these ships instead of their preservation as had been pro- vided for, and in breach of the un- dertalling embodied in article 31 of the armistice against all acts of de- ctr it11to cd ;oJo tion of the armistice, the destruction of the pledge handed over, and an act of gross bad faith towards the allied and associated powers. '"The admiral in command of the care and maintenance parties belong ing to the German naval forces has, while recognizing that the act was a breach of the armistice, attempted to justify it by alleging his belief that i the armistice had come to an end Excuse Not Well Founded. "This alleged justification is not we'll founded as, under the com ] munication addressed to the German l delegation by the allied and associat- 1 ed powers on the 18th Of June, 1919, l the armistice would only terminate on | refusal to sign the peace, or if no an- 1 swer were returned on the 23d June 1 { K. | tional law, as embodied particularly Tn 1 articles 40 and Al of the regulations 1 annexed to the Fourth Hague conven- l tion of 1907, every serious violation of 1 the armiStice by one of the parties 1 gives the other party the right to de- 1 nounce it and even in case of urgency 1 to reCommence hOstilities al once Punishment for Offenders. 1 "A violation of the terms of the ar l miStiCe by individuals, acting on their l own initiative only confers the right 1 Of demanding the punishment of these 1 offenders and, if necessary. indemnity l for the losses sustained. It will there 1 fore be open to the allied and asso- | ciated powers to bring before 3 mill ! tary tribunal the persons responsible
 C-ontinueo on Eleventh Pare)