Evening star., 1920-02-05
NEW CRISIS ARISES
OVER ALLY DEMAND
FOR WAR GUILTY
NoSke, German Minister of
Defense, Utters Defiance
to the Powers.
BERLIN GOVERNMENTS
EXISTENCE MENACED
Even President Ebert May Be
Forced to Quit if Extradition of
War Leaders Is Pushed.
BY GEORGE WHITE.
''abIegrnm to The Star nnd Chicaro
Dahy NEWS. Copyright. I9.O.D

BY GEORGE WHITE.
',aDieErnm to The Star and Chicago
Daiiy News Copyright. I9:O.D
BERLIN, February 5-on excel
lent authority learn that the center
ana right wing parties at secret
meeting held yesterday decided to
withdraw entirely from the govern
ment and the national assembly if
the government does not refuse the
extradition of the officers and Of
ficials wanted by the entente for
trial.
Among those who will retire is the
minister OF finance, Matthias Err
berger. Members of the cabinet are
in a state of uncertainty. Germany
is bound by the terms of the peace
treaty to deliver up the alleged vio-
| iators of the laws of war Ii is even
reported that the whole government
including President Ebert. will re-
sign.
The question of whether the gov
ernment would be able TO find any
body willing to arrest popular lead
erS like Field Marshal Won Mackensen
or Gen. Liman Won Sanders is being
generally answered in the negative
even by high officials.
Relations at Acute Stage.
PARIS, February 5. (by Associated
Press).-Relations between the allied
powers and Germany seem to have
arrived at a crisis as a result OF the.
refusal of Baron Won Lersner. head of
the German delegation here, to for
ward to Berlin the names of Germans
whose extradition is demanded by
the entente. This incident apparent
ly finds an echo in the attitude of the
Berlin cabinet, which is reported in
London disnafchaS To have aNnre0ged
through Gustav Noske. minaster of
defense. seeming defiance to the pow
ers. Baron Won Lersner left for the
German capital last night.
The list Of Germans accused of vio-
1ations of the laws of war whose ar
raignment is contemplated by the al
lies, will be sent to Berlin direct by
the council of ambassadors. 1t Is
pointed out there that measures in
tended to compel Germany to carry
1 out the exIadition clauses of the
Versailles treaty will be adopted, but
there is nc intimation as to their ma
! ture
London advices state Sir Auckland
Geddes, minister of national Service
and reconstruction in the British cab
met, has declared in an address al
Andover yesterday that Holland might
be required to put former Emperor
William on some island outside of
Europe. Whether he expressed the
view of the British government is not
known.
View Of French Press.
Refusal of Baron Won Lersner. head
OF the German peace delegation. to
transmit to Berlin the list of persons
whose extradition is demanded by the
allies is considered by Paris news
papers as a personal incident. There
is. however. evident a disposition on
the part of mediators to ask whether.
Notwithstanding the disapproval of
the German government of the baron's
action. it will not tend to encourage
the national movement in Germany.
They also speculate on the question
whether the Bauer cabinet has not
conceived a hope that the incident
might induce the allies to reconside4
their decision.
Fears are expressed that the action
of Baron Won Lersner may still furthe,
strain the situation between Germany
and the allies, but journals are unan-
imous in demanding that the allies
must profit by the incident and speak
resolutely and clearly" in exacting en-
tire execution of the clauses OF the
Versailles treaty.
Suggestions are made by the Matin
and Victoire that the allies. in the
event of Germany's continued refusal
to surrender those accused OF war var
left bank of the Rhine and collect
taxes while there.
PARIS. February 4.-The council of
ambassadors, after its meeting to-
night issued a statement saying that
the decision of the allies with regard
to Germans whose eXtradition is de-
manded for war crimes would be
communicated direct to Berlin.
Surrender Held Impossible.
LONDON, February 5.-"The sur
render Of these men is virtually i'm.
possible. turn it how you will" said
Minister of Defense Noske, in an i'm
terview with the Daily Mails Berlin
correspondent, in discussing the de-
mands for the extradition by the al
lies of Germans charged with war
crimes.
This demand is an act of revenge,
worse than 'Shylocks. he continued.
Suppose l succeeded in getting the
men arrested. Do you think the train
taking them to France would be al
lowed to cross the frontier" And il a
crowd held up that train. do you inn
agine that / could order Germans
shot down so that other Germans
should be handed over TO the revenge
of their enemies? The government
might resign, but what party could
take its place."
The correspondent points out that
the task of arresting and delivering
the men for extradition would fall on
Noske. He adds that passive resist
ance apparently will be the attitude
of Germany toward the allied dem:---d.
Names Reach Berlin.
BERLIN, February 4.-The list of
Germans whose extradtion is de-
manded by the allies began to arrive
here over the official wire from Paris
at IL O'Clock this morning. The first
name licked off was that of Duke AL
brecht of Wurttemberg.
A meeting of the cabinet was called
for early this afternoon. Meanwhile,
no official declarations on the subject
of the extraditions will be made.
The list will not be published in the
press before Thursday. The govern
ment today will make public the text
of it's last note to the allies on the ey-
tradition issue.
Baron Kurt Won Lersners refusal TO
accept the allied note regarding the ex-
tradition Of accused Germans was no:
in accordance with instructions he
had received from Berlin. The Ger
man government had requested him to
receive it. but he asked by telegraph
for permission to retire and his resig-
nation was Immediately accepted.
The Tageblatt says the list of per-
sons demanded by the allies from Ger
ms1y surpasses anything which even
the greatest pessimists had considered
possible.
"One now realizes" il adds. what
tremendous stupidity 1t was to ofier 20
sign q peace treaty. the terms OF
which were impossible to execute"
Partial List OF Names.