Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-01-29
"Honor" Forbids Surrender, Saws
Note to the Allies.
REPLY is SENT TO PARIS
Holds That If Former Emperor Had
Remained in Germany the German
Government Would Be Obliged
to Hand Him Over.


the surrender of the ex-kaiser for
trial is dated January q and reads:
''By note verbal dated January Is,
1920, and handed to her majesty's en-
voy in Paris, the powers, referring to
article 227 of the Versailles treaty, re-
quest the Netherlands government to
deliver into their hands William of
Hohenzollern. emperor of Germany, in
order that he may be put on trial,
"In support Of this request they OBJ
serve that if the emperor had remained
in Germany the German government
would have been obliged, according to
article 22S of the peace treaty, to
hand him over
"The powers, quoting as premeditat-
ed the violations Of international
treaties and the systematic ignoring of
the most sacred rules Of the law of ma
lions in numerous acts committed dur
ing the war by the German authori-
ties, trace the responsibility, or at
least the moral responsibility for these
acts back to the former emperor.
Must FULFILL Duties.
"They express the opinion that Hol-
land would not fulfill her international
duties if she refused to associate with
them to the best of her ability in pur-
suing, or at least not impeding, the
punishment of the crimes which have
been committed.
'They draw attention to the special
character of their request as having in
view not juridical accusation, but an
act of high international politics, and
they appeal to Hollands respect for
right and her love of justice not to
cover by her moral authority the vio-
lation committed by Germany of the
essential principles of the solidarity of
nations.
"Her majesty's government has the
| honor to observe forthwith that the
obligations which might have resulted
for Germany under article 228 Of the
treaty of peace cannot prevail in or
der to define the duties of Holland,
which is not a party to this treaty.
"Her majesty's government, actuat-
ed on it's side by imprescriptible rea-
sons, cannot view the questions
raised by the request Of the powers
otherwise than from the point Of view
of it's own. duties. 1t has been ahso-
Iutely foreign to the origin of the war
and has maintained, not without diff
Guilty, it's neutrality to the end.
"It finds itself therefore confronted
with the facts of the war in differ
ent position from that of the powers.
It refuses energetically all suspicion
of wishing to cover by it's sovereign
right and it's moral authority VIOLA
tons of the essential principles Of the
solidarity of nations. But it cannot
recognize an international duty asso-
ciating nations (some words missing
here) itself to the powers act of high
international politics.
Refers to League of Nations.
eff in the future an international
| Jurisdiction were created by the
League of Nations competent to judge
| in a case of conflict on facts qualified
as crimes punishable by statute pre-
ceding these facts, it rests with Hol-
land to associate herself with this
new system.
"Her majesty's government cannot
in the present instance acknowledge
any other duty than that imposed by
the laws Of the state and national
tradition, the constitutional laws Of
tie state based on universally recog-
nized principles of law, and on honor
able tradition centuries old, which has
made of this country at all times a
refuge for the vanquished in interna-
tional conflicts.
"The Netherlands people, actuated
bv sentiments to which the worlds
history has done justice, cannot be-
tray the faith Of those who have con-
fided themselves to the nations free
institutions.
"Her majesty's government would
fain believe that the powers will rec
ognize the soundness Of these consid-
erations which are above any per-
sonal appreciation and which more
over appears so peremptory that they
cannot reasonably give rise to erron-
eous impressions as to Hollands atti-
tude.