Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-04-16
FoRsiER BiPERoR TO FACE
His "a Acctlser Council of -Four De-
cides ION Trial Of HohcnzolIern.

g Paris, April 9.-The responsibility
Of the German emperor for the war
ana the means Of bringh !: him to
trial by one of the Allied govern
ments, probably Belgium, have been
definitely determined upon by the
council OF four. This follows the
definite decision on the terms OF
reparation FOR war damages, where
by $4,000, 100000 must be paid
within$the next two years, and an
interr,-;AAllied terr,;AtAllied commission assess the
remaining damage for period Of
| 80 years beginning May /, 1921.
Two Obstacles Removed.
Thusstwo of the great obstacles
which$s stood in the path of the rapid
attainment Of peace have been re-
moyed&witlHn the last "a hours, and
the period Of extreme tension over
the inaction and the failure to secure
tangible results is succeeded by re-
yived confidence over the great ad-
vance made towards permanent set
tlement. How far these results are
due to, the intimations conveyed in
the summoning to France Of the Uni
ted States transport George WASH
ington by President Wilson is only
conjectural, but it is at least coin
cidence that the main difficulties
began to dissolve from the time that
this decision became known.
The exact natures of these Difficult
ties Is not disclosed. Friends OF the
President maintain that they we're
| largely Of a minor character, not in
volving large principles, though the
Presidents adherence to his -four
teen points" as the rigid limitation
Of the scope Cf action appears to
have run all through the delibera-
tions during the tense period OF the
last few days.
While the tension has been largely
reduced, it is not entirely removed,
as much depends on the continuation
of progress, with respect to the re-
naming obstacles, notably the Rhine
frontier, the Adriatic issue and a
number of lesser issues which are
stfll short of final agreement.
The agreement on responsibilities
for the war is understood to have
been compromise between divided
reports presented by the commission,
of which Secretary Lansing is chair
man. There was practical agree
ment on the general responsibility
of the German emperor for bringing
on the war, but division occurred on
whether it was feasible to bring him
to Justice before an international tri-
bunal, y.
Hae French and British view fay-
ored tribunal, but the American
view, 1t is understood, favored moral
indictment without recourse to pro-
secution, owing to the lack of an in
ternational law as a basis for trial
before an international court.
Belgium, on which the war fell
first and heaviest, Is reported to
have taken a view much similar to
that Of the United States, while ia
pan and Italy were partially in ac-
cord with the American view.
1t was owing to these divergent
viewpoints that the council devised
new plan, whereby one Of the Allied
nations, probably Belgium, would in
itiate prosecution against the for
mer emperor and others responsible
for the breach of treaties, the inva-
sion Of territory and the destruction
directed against this country and
leading to a more general spread Of
the war. The exact nature Of the
agreement is not disclosed. but the
foregoing Is believed to cover the
main lines.
The text as finally approved on
reparations specifies that the enemy
countries must admit responsibility
for all losses and damages to Allied
and associated nations and their cit
liens caused by the unjustifiable ag-
gression. But, in view OF the inabil-
ity Of the enemy countries fully to
recompense these losses, the clause
states, an inter-Allied commission
will assess the losses on a just basis
for thirty years, beginning May l.,
| 1921, with an initial payment Of
$5O,000.00 900.
Germany is to pay the entire cost
Of the commission and staff during
the thirty years Of operations. The
first payment is to be credited against
Germany's obligation to pay for the
maintenance OF the Allied troops in