Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-02-17
'cAlLLAUX TRIAL
TO START IN
PARIS TODAY
CONTINUED from page IL

(COnIlnu0O from page III k.VSMN7
laux went to war, serving in the pay
masters department of the French
karmy. Within two months he was In
trouble with British officers ana,
subsequently, with his oWn military
superiors in Paris. for which he was
punished. Released from service he
America and passed most of he win
ter in Argentina. While in Buenos
Aires. it was said. he conferred with
Count Karl Won .Luxburg. the Gers
man minister, who will be recalled
as the author of a message to ths
German foreign office requesting the
EU-boats to sink without a trace" all
Argentina ships. the vessels Of a neu-
trail power.
Caillaux returned to France and
was next heard from two, years later
in Italy. He was reported to have
gone there in November. 1916, with
Nine. Caillaux, for a rest. The Rome
correspondent of the London Times,
the following month, charged Call
laux was trying to plant. a separate
peace movement among German
ophiles in the Vatican and Italian
artist ocracy."
BRAND Gets Report.
Color was given to this accusa-
ton by q report sent to Premier
BRAND by Admiral de Saint Pair,
then French naval attaehe at Rome.
in which he said h a Caillaux. at a
two-hour conference with ex-Minis-
ter of the Colonies Martini and other
notable Italians, spoke Of his return
to power in France. He predicted,
it was said. that by the spring of
1916. the Clemenceau and othsr war
ministries would collapse. he would
take the helm of state and sign a
separate peace. According to Saint
Pair, Caillaux promised the Italians
that "the whole world will be aston
ished by the advantages Germany
will accord to Italy and France" All
the cost of. the war woul be borne
by Russia and the Balkan states.
What does Germany require" he
was quoted as having said to Mar
tint. IA road to Bagdad, which she
has just conquered, a big Bulgaria
and a big European Turkey" AS
alleged to have said. France would
draw up an alliance with Germany,
Italy and Spain against Russia and
England which he characterized as
really enemies of France.
The admiral charged that Caillaux
had communicated with certain prel-
ates in the Vatican and informed
them that If Italy signed a separate
peace. France would be obliged to
do the same. He even promised,
Saint Pair wrote, the re-establishment
of the diplomatic relations between
France and the Holy See upon his
return to power. 1t was as a result
of these revelations that the French
chamber of deputies, by a vot of Alt
to, 2, \decided that Caillaux's immun-
ity as deputy representing the de
partment of Sarthe, should be sus-
pended and he be required to stand
trial on the charge OF high treason.
Shortly after Caillauxs visits
abroad the .''defeatist" propaganda
became more pronounced in France
and Italy. The year 1917, with its
initial burst Of hope for France, was
followed by a great wave Of depres-
sion in that country. A similar phe-
nomenon was observable in Italy
October of that year witnessed the
disaster IF Caporetto. in which $780,.
900 Italians fell a prey to the Aus
Piave. Later. a commission Of in.
quiry in it's report. admitted thai
propaganda played its part in lessen
ing the morale of the Italian sol
diers.
3Caillaux was born in 1853. the sor
ola, prominent politician who wa.
minister of the interior under tht
presidency of Marshal MacNa1on
He entered politics as a radical so.
cialist and first came into prominence
in 1899 when he became minister O.
finance under Waldeck-Isousseau.