The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1921-04-06


cause they had avoided military serv-
ice at home, and in ordinary circum-
stances Bergdoll would be safe in
Germany.
1t is also understandable that Amer
lean army agents cannot be authoriz-
ed to operate in all parts of Germany
as they would operate in the occupied
territory and that they must be gov
erned by German law.
Neat and thinner, possibly with Sc
cret authority from army officials,
made an attempt to get Bergdoll, and
in their energetic pursuit of him shot
and wounded a German girl. They
certainly were the victims of misguid-
ed enthusiasm. Just the same, an in
cident has grown into an affront and
it is one to which we do not believe,
if the positions of the two nations
were reversed, Germany would sub
nit.
Germany has yet to make a peace
treaty with the United States, and
when it is offered the chance to ne
gotiate it will enter the conference
as the defeated nation. American
troops are on German soil in accord
ance with the terms Of the armistice
The facts, which seem to have lost
some effect and value, give the Unit.
ed States the power to dictate some
terms.
One such dictation will be made
unnecessary if Germany will return
the two American army agents to the
American authorities in Coblenz. An
other would be avoided if they deliver
Bergdoll.
Bergdoll has been a conspicuoui
figure and he is being harbored b!
the nation against which he refuses
to fight and with which the Unite'
States is still legally at war.
If the Germans did not have tai
ent for laundering they would hav
D turned the American army agent
over to the Coblenz authorities a
once and have lodged a complain
, against them. American sentimen
then would have supported a cour
martial of the men to protect Gel
= mans against unwarranted acts b
any members of the occupying force
= That sensible course to avoid magn
4 flying the effect of an incident upo
= national opinion evidently did not OF
| cur to the Germans, who may be will
4 in their legal rights, but who are e1
e asperating the one enemy they hav
, who has not tried to take anythin
r away from them.
: This was a fine piece of stupidit
and it has aroused just such indil
nant protests as the American Legio
has made. The situation is too humi
iating to be endured and the &c
mans intended to make it humiliatin
Therefore they have exposed then
: selves to retaliation. The Unit
: States has the power to retaliate.
: We hope that no appeal for Glen
: ency, such as has been suggested
e Washington, will be sent to Berli
{. That will hurt all the more. We hoI
6 that a demand for the return Of Il
: two men to Coblenz will be sent. v
hope that a demand will be made fl
! Bergdoll and that both demands w
be backed by the intimation or stat
II ment that the peace treaty tern
: will insist upon this.
: We demand a deserter who fled
the enemy's camp, one who has mac
himself so obnoxious that the countl
: cannot ignore him without belittlir
( itself. We demand two American
g who made a mistake in zeal, and
q proper We can compensate the &c
q man girl who was injured. Not to TO
2 get Stecher, the chauffeur of Beri
q doll, who fled with him and who all
3 is a deserted, we want him.
q There are four men who ought
q be surrendered by Germany, by agre
q ment in the peace treaty if in-no OF
g er way. The probable legality of Il
z proceedings is no slave. We are tee
e nically at war with Germany and Of
z demands can arise out Of that conc
8 ton. The American Legion has
y good cause for protest and it will
z kept up until the United States is e
Is tricated with some dignity from t
2 absurd incompetence into WHEN it h
q fallen.