Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-04


death penalty will not be
sought, The paper points out.
London, July 4.-The only sur
prise of the report by Premier
Lloyd George on the work of the
peace conference to the house of
commons yesterday was the news
that the former German emperor
would be tried in London. The
premier has a faculty of launch
ing news in speeches, a notable
previous instance being his address
in which he said that three sub
marines had been sunk in one day
That address came at a time when
the submarines were the most
menacing factor in the war situa-
ton.
The decision to bring the former
emperor to London, with other
prominent accused persons, has
been a we'll kept secret and it is
understood that Mr.. Lloyd George
was responsible for the proposal.
Holland viii Objectl
Holland. however, has yet to be
reckoned with. Dutch public Opin-
ion has seemed to strongly support
the kaiser's right of asylum there
and there are many predictions
that Holland may refuse to give up
the deposed monarch and that the
powers will not coerce her.
Great state trials in England, of
which there have been none for
many years, have been held in
Westminster hall but it is not be-
lieved that William HohenzoIIern
will be given that honor. The
procedure for his trial will be laid
down by a commission which viii
be appointed by committee which
the allies will soon set up to exc
cute the provisions of the peace
treaty.
VIII Choose Five Judges.
Five judges will be chosen by the
British, American, French, Italian
and Japanese governments and it IS
expected they will constitute the
court. In that event, the Earl of
Reading, lord chief justice, will sit
for Great Britain, and Edward
Douglass White, chief justice of
the supreme court Of the United
States is regarded as the logical
choice of the American govern
ment. Parliamentary gossip holds
that the former emperor certainly
should not be given a privileged
position in court, but should be put
in the dock like any other man
charged with a crime.
VIII Hold Trial in Fall.
Trial is looked for this autumn
If 1t occurs, and steps for the kais-
er's extradition are expected to be
taken soon, if not already begun.
Dutch newspapers have discussed
Count Won Hohenzollern's extra
dition ever since he took refuge in
Holland and the general sentiment
appears to be that it would be
humiliation for Holland to surren-
der the former monarch at the de-
mand of the powers, which demand
would be untenable under the law,
since the kaiser's case does not
come under eXtradition treaties
and the charge of a supreme Of
fense against international moral
ity and the sanctity Of treaties" is
not covered by existing laws"
Can Revise Constitution.
The Niewe Rotterdamsche Cour-
ant, in an article which is reputed
to have been inspired recently said
that the Dutch government might
be prepared to make the necessary
changes in its constitutional law
on being given certain guarantees
as to the constitution of the court
and the character of the trial.
The Handelsblatt of Amsterdam
said regarding the former
emperor and crown prince: Both of
them have been admitted to this
country as a matter of fact, not as
a matter of right for no authorize
tion to travel or reside in Holland
has been issued to them in accord
ance with the law of 1G49 relating
to foreigners, nor are they interned
as dangerous foreigners under the
temporary law Of 1898, which re-
quires that a foreigner to be in /
termed must be deemed dangerous /
to public order, safety. health or