Evening star., 1921-06-05
OFFICER IN U-B0AT
HELD bLAMELESS
German High Court Decides
Sinking of Hospital Ship
Was Onder Orders.
BY the Associated Press.

|
LEIPSIC. June 4.-The entente Of
| ficials who expected the German SUBJ
| marine policy in the war to be passed
! upon in its broader aspects by the
/ nigh court in session here for the
trial of persons charged with war
| crimes. when il dealt with the case
Of Lieut.. Karl Neumann, charged
Dover Castle by the German sub
marine which he commanded, were
bitterly disappointed.
! Lieut.. Neumann was acquitted to-
day after hearing of his case be-
| fore the court. and through the man.
by the judicial body. the only point
at issue was whether he carried out
his orders.
Proof was brought to the courts
"atisfaction that the lieutenant had
acted clearly within the instructions
given him by mis- superiors. and he
was speedily exonerated from Grim
! inality under this construction of the
case. Whether Emperor William Ad.
miral Won Tirpitz or other German
! officials who had hand in inaugural :
/ ing the ruthless submarine policy
were criminaIly responsible was no,
! touched upon.
Slight Prospect of Punishment.
AS the submarine commanders who
. eHc anu nunQTeuS oil
other entente ships probably car
! shield themselves as Neumann di,
ishind their orders, il was comment.
ed in entente quarters here toda,
there is apparently slight chance oi
securing the infiiction of punishmen,
uIon these submarine officers
| ToIay's trial closed the British
Eases. 70 far as they are at present
ready for presentment. These case.
/ proved disappointing to most of The
entente Observers. whose criticism
has been that the cases were poorl,
selected and badly supported by evi.
! d, nca.
! Entente citizens who attended tn.
! trials have generally expressed them
| solves as regarding the German cour,
as dignifcd and reasonable body
Notwithstanding the preliminary
finding of Neumann's innocence. he
was placed on trial today when the
putlic prosecutor demanded his ac.
quittal. Eeumann in. his testimony
admitted sinking the Dover Castle in
clear weather. but said he was acting
under instructions from the German
government. as the vessel was not
keeping to the special channel desig-
mated by Germany. The prisoner aiso
stated his conviction that the vessel
was carrying munitions. but he could
I not adduce evidence to support this
statement and the president of the
NOoit iCAuSSu W dOiHlt the diiSSdllOT
as evidence.
Use Of Hospital Ships.
The prosecutor gave it as his per.
sonal view that hospital ships were
employed for purposes contrary to The
Hague agreement if they were USED
for transportation of soldiers wounded
in the course of land warfare They
| could be used only in connection with
naval operations. he contended.
| The presiding officer of the court
after announcing Neumann's acquitta
i with costs against the German gov.
! ernment, said that all civilized ma.
tiuns recognized the principle that {
. subordinate is covered ny the order.
! of his superiors. He said that the
accused had carried out orders with.
out in any way exceeding them. ant
, that there was nothing to prove thai
| he had been guilty of particular
cruelty as alleged in the allies accu
sations. He acted as he had to act
| the judge said. and in the opinion o,
the court there was not the slightes'
doubt that his orders were justified.
| Neumanns acquittal was received
without the slightest demonstration
AS the court arose the British com.
mission bade farewell to the presidine
/ officer of the court. who thanked then
for their attitude during the trials.