El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-29
GERMAN COURT TO TRY THE KAISER;
WHAT WOULD IT BE-A WETTEWASFI?

ARIS newspapers assert on advices from Berlin, that
Germany Is Organizing high court and that Of the
duties Of the court viii be try former emperor William
and the former prince Frederick William Dlspatens
do state what charges to be preferred There IS
Multiplicity Of possibilities, wide field for selection
The chances favor the gavest charges possible to bring,
responsibility for the war for the crimes committed IN
France and Belgium and for the horrors Of submarine war
fare These could be brought against the former emperor
Only accusations of relatively minor importance could be
brought against the former prince he was prince
ling Of the caning sword he had been brought up in
most marstc atmosphere and he longed Tor war and
doubtless exerted upon his father all his influence 70 bng
about the war of conquest That is about far any
spsnsibiIty could Be imputed to him
What is this trial to be, whitswash7
If not vhitewas Is it German trick to the for
er kaiser and his from the consequences Of possible
trials IN the future in court Of the foreign nations on
charges Of murder2
THROUGH generations the German masses were schooled
&c the discipline Of authority For every grade, rank ana
class there was commander and above all stood the kaiser
All Germans taught from infancy to love- revere and
obey him that feeling been superseded by angry con-
vction that It he who sent millions Of Germans to
death MANNED starved and ruined other mlonss If So
trial might 20 hard with him. But if Germans still see
the about the head Of their former ruler they regard
him merely unfortunate IN that he failed to Win the war
the trial would be farce Intense public sentiment in
fluences courts.
Documentary evidence fixing criminal responsibility for
the and the conduct thereof upon the former kaiser
may be available in the governmental office As for YER
bal testimony against him. It could best be furnished by
Wihelms intmses, the army and nSvy Clique BY which
surrounded Would not those friends prove Of poor
memory Inc only CHANCE WOulQ De OIutI
vent Wilhelm from shoulderng the responsibility off upon
the general staff members Of that staff might think to
foTestaH him by telling all they know.
It would be very easy for adherens Of the old regime
engineer the trial that nothing conclusive could be
proved It is easy imagine that the outcome Of such
trial might be sentence to confinement Of the former
peror and his Of their German estates with
guards roundabout to prevent their eScapeso to insure
their safety from enemies the outside-but with moth
ing to prevent the exroya prisoners from living in all COM
foTt until some fitting time for their release.
Trial BY a German court would forestau demands by
the allied powers for exradon Of the Hohenzolerns from
Holland for trial Trial by the allies would for the
Hohsnzoerns either death Punishment to utterly
remote place In spite Of what legal authorities have
said the impossbity Of eXtraditing trying
HELM the idea has not been abandoned IN the allied
tries and reports state the peace conference has given
much consideration
So if Germany were promptly to present Holland a
requisOn for Wilhelm HOhenZoern and his Friedrich
Wilhelm and TO their extTadition It might be
the means Of saving their lives.
Would Holland honor the requisition? Unquestousbly
yes and al the quickly If thu Hohenzoerns made no
fight against It The latter would make no objection If
they in the deal
Here is question for students Of international law: