The New York herald., 1922-10-29
BAVARIANS OPPOSE
ENFORCING TREATY
Using Espionage Law Against
Journalists Who Publish Ac-
counts of Violations.
THREE GET TEN YEARS
No Appeal From Tribunal in
Which Judge Is Also
Prosecutor.
Special Gable to THE New York HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, by THE NEw YORK HERALD.

Special Gable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1929. by THE NEw YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bure-u.
Berlin, Oct. rs.
The Bavarian nationalists are making
a solid front against enforcement of the
treaty of Versailles and against the
democratic measures OF the Berlin Gov
ernment. asserting that they do not
want foreign journalists nosing about
Ten years penitentiary sentences were
given to three journalists In the Fechen-
bach trial. a sort Of miniature Dreyfus
case. The court threatens to Jail news
paper writers who publish information
about violations of the treaty OF Ver
sailes which implies that the German
authorities are not fulfilling their treaty
obligations"
A Bayarian Minister asserted recently
that the Government would find way
to stop the mouths of indiscreet Journal
lists. THE NEW York HERALD corre-
spondent went to Count Lerchenfeld. the
Chancellor. and to leading editors to as
certain whether a foreign correspondent
in describing the doings of secret mill
tary organizations In Bavaria would fall
under this ruling. A leading attorney
said assertions that the authorities were
not fulfilling their duty would provoke
arrest and possible application OF the
espionage law. whether the assertions
We're justified or not.
Fenr Bavnrian Prisons.
Local journalists agree that they
would risk their freedom if they should
collaborate with the foreign press in
describing the covert operations of the
Bavarian monarchists and militarists.
and already several have found Bavaria
too hot for them. Newspapers are grow
ing accustomed to police raids
Even Count Lerchenfeld's Chancellor
ship is attacked simply because he Is
suspected of being concerned more in
Germany's unity than Bavarian solidar-
ity. The Bavarians. though conven-
tional in art, have injected high
phantasy into politics.
The Fechenbach trial Is reminiscent
of the Dreyfus case in that its political
hero was given eleven years in the peni
tcntiary, and former secretary TO Kurt
Eisner got ten years in a fortress for
giving to the press a letter from n
Bavarian Minister to the Vatican indi-
eating the possibility OF the Vatican's
approval of Austro-German military
measures against the Serbs
Two journalists who supplied sensa-
tonal news about Ba&arian monarchist
military organization to foreign news
agency and were suspected of espionage
connections with the British received
each ten years in the penitentiary There
II no appeal from the so-caled peoples
tribunal which passed sentence. This
tribunal gives the Bavarian supcrna ton
alists a superb weapon against their po-
litical enemies as the president of the
tribunal chooses his fellow judges. con-
ducts the prosecution and pronounces
sentence himself
Espionage LAW Has Teeth.
That the old espionage law. expanded
to include any information dana ging to
the Government has teeth in il was
proved when a young scapegoat. Leo
Praechting. received a life sentence re-
Gently and is now In the prison TO which
the journalists have been sentenced.
Count Lerchenfeld. who received THE
NEW YORK HERALD correspondent during
session of his Cabinet. showed some
apprehension when he was asked to give
his Interpretation of the latest sentence.
He hastened to explain that the fortress
sentence was only a penalty imposed
upon Fechenbach for publishing details
or secret military organizations. and that
Foreign journalists need not fear moles-
tation. lie complained bitterly Of the
difficulty of his position.
'rhe people here are suffering acute
forms OF political hysteria.'' he said
The leading business men and poll
TEXANS of Bavaria imagine that Bavaria
can defy tho world with wooden pop-
guns. The people are anti-ally, anti
Prussian. anti-Republican, anti-high
prices and protesting against every
thing. 1t is typical of their mentality
that the supernationalists should imagine
they could prevent high prices by closing
the stock exchange"
Unscrupulous agitators and armed
bands have overrun the country, exploit
ing divers hatrcds. There is notable
lack OF constructive ideas. These ire
sponsible elements undoubtedly will seek
to make capital of the general discon-
tent this winter.