Evening star., 1924-03-10
LUDENDORFF TRIAL
PAINTED AS FARCE
Defendants, Guilty Of High Trea-
sen, Now Facing Illegal
Tribunal.
HONOR SHOWN By CROWDS
General and Associates Given All
Sorts Of Liberties.
SHOWN By CROWDS
BY MAMMALIAN HARDEN.

B1 MASlNILtAN HARDEN.
By Radio 70 The scar.
BERLIN. March I0-The German
penal code declares that whoever at
tempts violently to alter the consti-
tuition of the German commonwealth
or CT any German state is guilty OF
high treason. The Austrian scene
painter. Hitler; the Prussian general,
Ludendorff, and their comrades, in a
mass meeting held IN a beer hall.
proclaimed themselves as the new
unconstitutional government Of Ger
many and Bavaria and made prep
arations for q march of illegally
armed hordes against BerIin-to re-
store the imperial constitution, tear
up the peace treaty, restore general
black, white and red flag. which had
been legally abolished, "victorious!y
across the Rhine"
There could be no doubt as to the
guilt Of Hitler, Ludendorff and COM
pany after their unam biguous
speeches. prociamations and acts and
after the court procedure which has
jailed hundreds Of communists. -
into existence by the violent over
throw OF all law-thst is, by high
treason-must avoid prosecutions for
high treason as long as possible but
must carry the through energeti-
cally, if it once begins them; other
wise it loses respect and authority.
Court Not Authorised.
The law "for the protection Of the
republic provides that such cases
shall be tried by the criminal court
at Leipzig. Hitler and company.
nevertheless, were brought before the
peoples court" in Manich--a court
which is not authorized by constitu-
There they found an atmosphere
most favorable for their cause. Theg
were not addressed as "the accused,
but were called by their titles-"Ex-
nel," Herr Privy Court Councillor.
etc. They were permitted to deliver
hour-lons speeches and justify their
minutest actions. Witnesses who
were to be heard later remained in
the courtroom. Witnesses called to
the stand bowed deeply to the chief
defendants before addressing the
court.
No Curb On Accused.
Eight days were occupied with ur-
hampered orations by the defend
ants, who were permitted during the
recesses to confer freely with each
other. Their speeches and those of
their lawyers had the demagogic tone
of the mass meeting. All republican
institutions were damned and rtdi-
culed. The republics founders were
pilloried as November criminals and
traitors" Former Crown Prince Rup-
urecht Of Bavaria was termed "his
majesty. the king" The spectators
applauded the most abusive expires
sions without reproof. Even the dig
nified prosecutor was so reviled tina
he finally refused to continue, and
left the courtroom.
Since the defendants by their
speeches and their whole attitude
plainly showed that they hate and de-
spfse German and Bavartan republics.
and would compel them to return to
the form of military monarchy. and
since they openly assert that Bava.-
rian State Commissar Won kahr, Gen.
Won Lossow and their followers strive
for the same end. the only question
that remains is whether high treason
ceases to be a crime IL high officials
participate in or further It
Enjoyed Like Prize Fight.
The Catholic party. to which the
chancellor belongs, repulses the at
tacks made against the popedom and
foolishness. But the nationalists.
who worship Hitler and Ludendorff
as heroic demi- gods, regard the re-
ports of the proceedings as the most
effective election propaganda. Others
either keep silent or content them
selves with jeering and enjoy the
Munich match between Hitler and
Ludendorf and Won Kahr and Won
Lossow precisely as they do any
prize fight.
The voelkische are active and their
numbers increase steadily, despite the
fact that they can promise nothing
better than restoration of the mon
archy and military power, levee EN-
masse against France and her allies
in the west and antiJewiSh pogramS
and other terrorism.
A new reichstag will soon be elect
ed. A courageous government, filled
with a glowing belief in democracy:
in freedom and.in the republic, would
be compelled to take it's campaign
slogan from the Munich trial, and
place before the nation the clear
uu uestion of whether it wanted to let
itself be plunged to destruction py
beer hall heroes. defeated miiitartsts.
unclassed nobility, adventurers anG
idiots. If the imperial and royal
colors of Hitler and Ludendorr win
fhe victory then the wind. which now
is rather fav orable for Germany. VIII
.hanze sudde My. And at least the
whole continent will have to suner.