Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-01-18
BRYAN GIVES HIS VIEWS
ON TRIAL OF EX-kAISFR
Asserts Responsibility for World Conagraon Should Be
Definitely Fixed, Thus Relieving Nation of Bearing
Burden Belonging to Him Alone.

mas hcuEed in these trials and The
The soldier has been n man apart from
the people and has insisted that sol
alers should only be tried by soldiers
arc We ready to mako civil authori-
eral?
There is a third reason for the triaI
or the Kaiser which many will con
slder the most important of all.
namely; that will soften the indict-
ment that might otherwise DO brough,
against the German people as whole
IN IN Inc Inc early early days Of the war our ad-
proposition that our fight was against
the Kaiser and not against the Ger
man man people. This was ridiculcd in
to include in the indictment AmcIi-
cans OF German descent. as well as the
citizens of the Fatherland.
Now that the war IL over. judgments
are being revised and credit is being
conceded to the German Americans for
he loyal support which they save To
the government in the prosecution of
Men OF German parentagc and the dc
ScenuantS of those who came 20 the
United states from Germany. fought
side by side with those who traS,d
their ancestry to France, Belgium and
Great Britain. -.
While there were in some cases un-
patriotic utteranccs and acts. the guilty
were yer, very few in numhsr compared
were connected by blood with the Ger
manic races.
The patriotic German Americana and
the Austrian americans have reason
to demand trial OF the Kaiser in or
der that tho mass OF the German PEG
pie may be relieved OF blame for the
many lives and consumed such a ire
mendous I'm cunt OF accumulated
wealth.
Fourth the trial OF the Kaiser will
danental tenecs OF royalty, nameIv
that the King can do no wrong" This
theory is a lineal descendant OF tho
divine rights OF kings. The monarch
pris" that turned out we'll and made a
scapeSoat OF his advisers when his
plans pia failed The subjects have held
vented their wrath or those unrortu-
nate enough to have to S.ar thc sins
or their sovereign.
Democracy has reyolu.ionized the
sn"asht OF the world; it is. so to
ana hitting up the valleys until they
meet upon the same plans.
suah iS,pr II. Eoyernment there is 40
officials chosen by the people are ac-
c3untable TO the people and the peo-
Pc. though sovereign. must bear the
80, nouei, snat their representatives put
upon them until that burden is lifted
nE the people themselves, or by those
whom the people elect.
6, Is high time for the ruler TO be
thke his place at the iudgmeot bar
"iln thoSe who have to accent rcspon
H s,.,,,,, tor what they do and for the
H o. srai consequences OF what they do.
deserving readers have not failed to
note the inclination on the nart op
rSSyaEsts TO find reasons for not trying
me me-. ha!Sg r Tho motive is no. hard to
volved in the proposed trial; thev rec
osnGe mat it sounds the death knelI
o 90 one oI me most precious privileges
.he people ought to be as quick S the
monarch TO understand what a trial
means. and their insistencc should be
h.. PPssoportaon TO the reluctance shown
nth and finally. the Kaiser ought
90 HdNc = chancc To produce any de-
n rfns1 ne, ne may have. The world has
as no human being has ever before been
eatled upon TO bear. II the charge 10
! rue. no punishment can be TOO severe:
ma nder Of his days would be An in
ssigniicant punishment for the Voc he
mas -, ot Gam upon the world
dlstinctan betWe ei osmt2sTaey mskc 10
OF inc h.nelest is as precious in the
ei EeS or me ;. lay as the life Of oae WHO
lnand Of the Almighty
n TIC Kaiser. by his individual act,
tsNes the life OF ono OF the lowliesf
or The race he is as much murderer
as II nc victim were among the most
IL only remains for the representa-
ives of the democratic idea r. ohiitcr
ave thr distinction between murder on
smaiI scale and murder by Wholesale
20 nrins the Kaiser within terms of
universal law. ~
But tho very law that fixes punish
ment upon the guilty safeguards tho
IiShts or the Innocent, and the Kaiser
-" ~ II. ,.ol 10 be denied the right which
tne meanest criminal has, namely, that
OF tair and impartial trial. Let the
r ren,iv go on, that history may be cor
sII..S VICE: that guilt may be eauit-
ablS apportioned among the wrong
aoers; that hinsly sponsibility may
nGVcf again be pleaded; that the peo-
PIC may not be punished for the sins
o. aroitrary rulers, and the Kaises
n,inSou may have melted out to him
Soch punishment as he deserves or
pc acquitted If the facts show him 10
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