The Alaska daily empire., 1920-02-21
|MPRuDENT BUT
 NOT TRAIT0R0US,
 CAILLAUx SAYS
Former French Premier On Trial For Life, Takes
 Witness Stand
HISTORY OF THE CASE
The Associate of Executed Bolo- Finding of Papers
 Implicated Ex-Official

PARIS, Feb. 21.-M, Joseph Gail laux, former Premier of France, who took the witness stand last evening in his own defense, declared: "l have never championed a policy of closer relations with Germany, did however, favor a policy of Eu ropean conciliation; l might have been guilty of imprudence, but never of intelligence with the enemy"
 Joseph Caillaux, formerly Premier of France, is charged with 'intrigues tending to shake the solidarity oi the Allies and to bring about pre- mature and dishonorable peace with Germany. The taking of testimony in this case is expected to bring forth sensational disclosures which may reach, many of the inner circles of French life. "A
 Was Allied With Boio?
 { The case against .Caillaux is so closely intertwined with that against Bolo Pasha, who was executed as a spy at Vincennes. and M Duval, edi- tor of the Germanophile paper Bon- net Rouge, who went to his death in July, that it must be considered with them.
 Caillaux was not in the cabinet when the war began in 1914. He had resigned after Editor Calmette had been shot, and killed by Mime. Gail laux on March 16, 1914, after Cal ,,,otto bad obargad Co;lIouy uritb how ing played into ,Germanys hands in settling the Moroccan crisis in 1911. Although he was not a part of the government, however, he had for mer close friend in the government. This man was Louis J. Malvy, former Minister of the Interior. Through him, it is alleged, Caillaux directed affairs so that the machinations charged against him could be carried on.
 When the French people began to take stock of the situation in the fall. of 1914 it was found that Ger man spies were everywhere in France and had penetrated into the councils of the government. At the same , time. pacifist movement gained headway, having as it's object recon ciliation between France and Ger many. Soon after, the "defeatist propaganda became menacing. This tended to break down the spirit of the French people by leading them to believe they were in helpless situation haforo Germany
 Met Count Won Luxburg
 In the meantime. Bolo Pasha had been at work and Caillaux had made severAfstrips to Italy and one voyage to Buenos Aires. In Italy he met certain statesmen and at Buenos Aires. it isa said, he conferred with Count von Luxburg. the German Min ister
 The chief prosecutor of German spies during this period seemed to be General Dubail. the military governor of Paris, who was relentless in his demands that the government take strong steps to clear the centres of German intrigue in France This insistence finally came to a head with the open charge that Louis J. Malvy had aided the Bonnet Rouge managers in their "defeatist" cam paign. The Ribot Ministry fell and was succeeded by the Pafnleve re- gime. The new Minister of the In terior also failed to come up to ex ,pectatipns and the French people now thoroughly awake to their dan ger. brought about the fall of Pain leve. Then Georges CIemenceau came to the office of Premier
 Immediately afterward he secured evidence which brought about the ar rest of Caillaux on January IA. 1919 French detectives raided a safe de posit box in Florence. Italy. bank which was held under the maiden name of Mime. Caillaux. In it were found jewels and securities forth q fortune and documents which showed 2 according to the prosecutor. that Caillaux had nlanned a return tc power. after which he was to con ,.i