New-York tribune., 1920-02-09
No Soldier or Policeman
Would Arrest Luden.
dorff, Hindenburg or
Mackensen, Papers Say
Demand of Allies
Called Vengeance
Likened to Romans Drae.
ging Conquered Rulers
in nTriumphalP PROCESSION
By William C. Dreher
Special Cable to The Tribune

ment on the list of persons demanded
by the Allies for violation Of the laws
of war is keyed largely to the note that
the Entente is disgracing itself by
making such demands and that it
would prove an indelible stigma on
Germany to meet them.
The newspapers urge that the Allies
misconceive the situation in Germany,
failing to see that any attempt by the
government to meet the demands would
usher in civil war. 1t is pointed out
that no German soldier or policeman
could be found who would obey orders
to arrest men like Ludendorff, Hinden-
burg or Mackensen.
The moderate prese insists that Ger
many, by offering to try the accused
men with the participation of repre-
sentatives of the Allies, goes further
than Serbia did in answering the Aus
trian ultimatum in 1914.
On all sides the demand is inter-
preted as thirst for vengeance and
is compared with the lust of the Roman
Emperors to drag the rulers of con-
quered countries In their triumphal
professions.
A few of the newspapers like the
"Tageblatt" try to find an excuse for
the list by saying that the passions
of the war have been kept up by the
ruined villages of northern France and
Belgium. Several express satisfaction
that the United States and Japan are
taking no part in demanding "crimi-
nails" This is taken to imply that
the German view that the list is in
finitely stupid even from the point of
view of Entente interests.
An outstanding development in the
German reaction is the attempt being
made by the so-called nationalist
press to make party capital out of the
affair. The old conservative organs
are attacking the government as re-
sponsible for the list through not hav-
ing shown sufficient energy in resist
ing previous demands of the Allies.
Even supporters of the government
believe the Entente's action is doing
much to strengthen the old junker
party.
In all this wide outburst of passion,
however, none Of the newspapers at
tempts to forecast the probable result
OF Germany's refusal to produce the
men demanded. Some of them insist
that no possible material result could
outweigh Germany's moral degradation
should she yield to the demand.
LONDON. Feb. S.-The Exchange
Telegraph's Copenhagen correspondent
says the Berlin government is resolved
to call a meeting of Parliament imme-
diately upon receipt of the Allied note
demanding the surrender of those
guilty Of war crimes.
A semi-official statement issued to-
night speaks of misunderstanding"
with regard to the list Of Germans
demanded It says that the French and
Belgian portions of the list have not
been seen in England, and therefore
1T cannot be assumed that Great
Britain will lend full support to such
unknown lists, which are bound to be-
come the subject of communications
between the Allies and the Germans
The British list, however, 1t adds,
remains without modification and holds
good.
BERLIN, Feb. 8.-The Allied list of
war criminals and the covering letter
were handed to~Premier Gustav Bauer
at 8 o'clock Saturday night by M. de
Marcilly, French Charge d'Affaires. A
letter from Premier Millerand accompa-
MED the note and list, explaining the
new procedure of the Allies as the out
come Of the refusal Of Baron Kurt Won
Lersner to transmit the list to the Ger
man government.
Premier Bauer expressed to the
French Charge the governments disap-
proval of Won Lersner's action. The
Cabinet is sitting to-day to discuss the
Allied demands.
German Evidence Demanded
The covering note says that not all
Germans guilty of infractions of the
laws of warfare are included in the
list, but for reasons Of practicability
only those are cited to whom the great
est responsibility attaches. The al
lied powers, however, do not propose
amnesty for those not included, but re-
serve the right to prosecute them in
the event they are apprehended in their
territories. Possession of all German
documentary evidence and access to the
archives are also demanded to facilitate
prosecution.
In supplementary note the allied
powers reply to the German communi-
cation Of January %, which explained
Germany's reasons for not carrying out
the extradition provision. Premier
Millerand, in letter to Gustav Bauer.
intimates that he does not hold the
German government responsible for
Baron Won Lersner's action in quitting
Paris, because he assumes that Ger
many will not attempt to evade a
treaty obligation to which it's signature
was affixed.
Official quarters thus far have de-
clined information regarding the size
or nature of the list.
Agree Not to Surrender
A secret meeting Of army and navy
leaders a month ago. in anticipation
Of demand for extradition, compiled
set of regulations for common action.
These instructions, which are signed
by Generals Won Heeringen, Won Kluck
and Falkenhayn, as we'll as others. de-
clare it is no violation of honor for
one to place himself outside the pale
of seizure by his own government or
the Entente. Therefore thew must re-
fuse to surrender, refuse to recognize
the legality Of foreign court, and do
nothing in the shape of personal de-
fense, or otherwise acknowledge such
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