Evening star., 1923-11-19
In TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL y. COLLINS

mand. which, according to their opin-
lon, does not depend solely, nor even
principally. upon the internal law of
the Netherlands, has not been suffi-
ciently appreciated.
mo question of prestige is at stake.
| and the allies give the same atten-
ttor to the conscientious sentiment
OF small state as to the deliberate
decision of the great powers, but in
order to judge the responsible author
Of the catastrophe OF the great war,
they cannot wait for the creation of
a world tribunal. charged with the
it is precisely the Judgment under
consideration which will pave the
way for this tribunal, and mark the
collective action Of the universal cam
science. Would not the refusal of the
, government of the queen TO deliver
the ex-emperor create. IL II were
maintained. an unfortunate precedent
which would tend to render ineffec-
tive the action OF all international
tribunals against highly placed GRIM
] inals?
THE government of the Neither
lands states that the demand for the
deliyerance of the cx-emperor can
not be considered except from the
standpoint of its own obligations. 1t
ooes not appear to consider that II is
under obligation. in common with the
civilized nations, 10 assure the pun
ishment of crime against right and
against the principles of humanity,
, for which William of Hohenzoilern
has assumed. in a manner which is
I, undeniable. the heavy responsibility.
The Dutch reply no single word
or uisapproval for the crimes com
mitted by the ex-emperor. crimes
| sentiments Of humanity and civiliza-
ton. and for which In particular so
many Dutch nationals have Them
selves been the innocent victims on
the high seas.
rs it possible not to be impressed
which the refu.al Of Holland and the
dangerous comfort thus afforded all
those who oppose the just punish
ment and exemplary Judgment of
! the guilty. regardless of how high
placed they may be? Holland, whose
. history reveals continuous etrug-
gle for liberty, and which has so
gravely suffered through contempt
. of justice, could not by such a mar
/ row conception of her obligations,
place herself outside of the COM
munion of the world. The
. powers desire to remind the Dutch
government that If IL should per
sist in it's disinteresteIness as TO
| the presence OF the imperial family
on its territory. In such close proxim-
rect responsibility, both for the
. sheltering of a criminal from the
rights of justice and for a propa =
| ganda so dangerous for Europe and
for the rest Of the world It is
indubitable that the permanent pres
ence of the ex-emperor under in
, eyitably inefiicacious guard, with
] in few kilometers of the German
, frontier, constitutes for the powers
which have made superhuman 'sacri-
fees to overthrow this mortal dan
ger a menace which they cannot
be asked to agree to. The rights
to which they are entitled by vir-
tue or the most formal pr1nciples
Of International law, authorize them,
and obligate them, to take such
measures as are necessary for their
own security"
II there Is any virtue or satisfao-
/ tion in "I-told-you-so," then the al
, lies must feel 1t now, in the present
| escape of the crown prince, indis-
putably as part of some conspiracy
/ Of reaction.
1t is noteworthy that both HoI-
! land and the allies point to the
fact that at that date. the league OF
| nations had not had time to organize
its proposed world court, Holland
based its refusal to hand over its
| refugees to the allies partly on the
| ground that there was no formally
| constituted court to try them foI
the alleged crimes. Lloyd George
| based the plea Of the allies for the
immediate surrender of Wilhelm, on
! their demand, because they could
not wait for the establishment OF
an international tribunal"
X X X
| On January Is, 1919, pre-peace
commission of fifteen. representing
the victorious nations. considered the
culpability of the kaiser and the
responsibility of those who caused
the war. The United States was
! represented on that commission by
| Secretary Of State Robert Lansing
| and Mr.. James Brown Scott. AL
/ voted to prosecute. except the two
representatives of the United States
| who differentiated between guilt OF
lating only morals" The latter
they held as not punishable under
/ International law.
| The question arises whether the
establishment of the Harding world
/ court would drive the underpinnins
out of Hollands objection, anc
whether II the United States pushes
the world court TO completion tina,
try the kaiser. even though we have
no part In the Versailles treaty OF
peacs. but have . separate treaty
with the German republic.
tcopyrisht. 1928. by Paul v. Collins.l