The sun., 1919-04-13
LUDENDORPF TRIAL
EXPOSED AS FARCE
TheodOr Wolff Says 1t Is an
Evasion of Real Issues
Faced by Germany.
WANTS TRUTH REVEALED
Editor of Berlin "Tageblatt"
Cites Massacres and Pillage
by the Army.
Special Cable Despatch to THE Sun from the
London Times Service.

Special Cable Despatch to THE Sun from ths
London Times Service.
Copyright, 1919: oil rights reserved.
LONDON, April 1.-THE German Gov
srnment has drawn up q bill constitut-
Ing q new state tribunal before which
Gen. Ludendorff Is to appear. 1t will
consist equally Of members of the Leip-
zig Supreme Court, of the Council OF
State and the National Assembly or
Reichstag. The indictment will lie on
the preliminary findings OF special
committee of the Legislature.
Theodor Wolff, editor of the Berlin
TdgebIdtt, discusses the questions raised
by the Ludendorff tribunal in an out
spoken editorial He regards Luden-
dorfrs appeal for trial and the Govern
ment's agreement to the demand as an
evasion of the real issues Germany
faces, for he doubts the competence Of
the court to try the Issues.
THE charges brought against Gen.
Ludendorff by his accusers." says Herr
Wolff, deal with such matters as policy.
strategy, the effects OF an overweening
will, gamblers choice in military policy.
truthfulness or the reverse. and these
are not justiciable matters. There will
be interesting debates, Ludendorff and
Bethmann- Holweg will be brought race
TO face. Each will try to throw on the
other the blame for mistakes made"
Only q Waste of Energy.
In regard to the last act Of the drama
Herr Wolff thinks Gen. Ludendorn may
not come out very we'll, as Eight will
be thrown on the military authority
which allowed the German nation to be-
lieve the enemey was scattered. Marshal
Foch's reserve used up, the tanks q
swindle and the Americans bluff"
But all this is a waste Of energy" he
adds. III the tribunal is to be of any
service to the German people, It must
rot concern itself with Ludendorff's case
or any other individual case or political
quarrels."
Germany has soon to appear at Ver-
sailles, and will find herself in an at
nosphere OF more than suspicion, Her
delegates will be faced with a long list
of charges for which Germany is held
responsible.
why asks Herr Wolff. ain the name
Of all that Is holy. wait until the bill is
presented? Why have We not long ago
taken cognizance of tho charges, SUBJ
jected them to a most careful inquiry
and prepared materials for defence or
visited these guilty with the severest
punishment
Order for Massacre Cited.
He gives pertinent examples. So long
ago as 1915 1t was known that Entente
newspapers had published a German d.
visional order issued in connection with
the Marine retreat. which was a deliber-
ate Indictment to destruction Of French
civilians. Herr Wolff thought at USE
full to direct the attention OF the military
authorities to this and after many weeks
received a reply that the author OF the
order was i'll in a sanatorium."
Similar inquiries in other parts pro-
dnced similar results, but these culprits
or accused persons cannot all be still in
hospitals Some of them are very plainly
not In hospital. but in full political ac-
tivity."
The Court of Justice, Herr Wolff
thinks, should examine such cases. 1t
should inquire into cases in which, on
tho preteXt of a shot having been fired
from house. numbers OF civilians were
shot. 1t should interest itself in those
officers who sent home to their women
friends the lingerie OF French and Bel
gian women. 1t should inquire as to
which leaders OF German heavy indus
tries procured the forced services of
Belgian workers. these workmen includ-
ing tradesmen. physicians md students.
IT should ascertain who was responsible
for the destruction of fruit trees on the
Somme; who connived at or instigated
attempts while America was still neutral
to blow up American railways and man.
ufactores and who ordered the sinking
OF the Lusitania.
Herr Wolff insists the Germans them
selves have right to know these things.
and II inquiry were made and the guilty
persons punished Germany would DO In
much stronger position in her efforts
to procure tolerable peace terms.