Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05
FRENCH PENALTIES
ROUSE GERMAN IRE
Both Countries Disturbed by
Conviction of Three for
Flag 0ffenSe.
~ GUSTAV SToIPER.

Ev Radio n The Star.
EFRrTN. August Much bitterness
has been caused In Germany by the
LANDAU case" in which a french
court martial at Landau. city III the
ocru,ied district of the Ehineland, con-
demnea three Germans in abSentia to
Eve Years Imprisonment because they
were accused Of tearing down French
fise at the officers casino IN Iwei-
byuecken.
The occupation authorities demanded
that the German government deliver
ND the accused. who we're In Germany
Under German law no one can be SEN
fenced for grave crime in his absence.
Put French courtS-martial employ
French Law. Under the German con-
stitution no German can be delivered
70 q foreign government for punish
nlent, but this provision of the consul
tuition is ahrogated by the Versailles
Treaty and by article 4 Of the Rhine
land agreement. regulating occupation
Of German territory.
Both Countries Embarrassed
Hence the French authorities had
formal right on their side. But this
did not make the situation less fright
full The sentence Itself was unpre-
cedentedlv cruel. And the incident
served only TO illustrate the impoSSi-
hihty Of long occupations of foreign
territory since occupation results In
continuous friction between the two
peoples.
The Landau verdict and the demand
for extradition have equally emhar-
raised the Berlin and Paris govern
ments-Berlin because. on the eve Of
Foreicn Minister StreSemann'S visit to
Paris il cannot submit TO the French
authorities demands. and the Paris
government because it has been learned
il knew nothing in advance about the
Landau process.
Bitterness in Germany over the az
fair has been accentuated by the dis
closure that some hundreds OF similar
extradition demands have been MADE
in the last few years, Of which hall
dozen involving common felons. have
been granted. The other cases were
quietly adjusted. The German gov
eminent preferred this quiet method in
order not to complicate Franco-GeT-
man relations anew through letting
further enormities Of the occupation
authorities become known.
This time. too. wilhemstraSse re-
NAMED cool and through discussions at
Paris an agreement has been reached
for the withdrawal Of the extradition
demand Thus the German government
scored a success but the problem OF
Phineland occupation again has been
illustrated by Grass case.
Miiitarists Cause Friction.
This occupation. almost 10 years after
fbe end Of the war. has become intol-
e~sbIe not only for the Rhineland, but
also for the whole German people. The
Landau case has demonstrated that it
Is impossible to reach an honorable I'M
Outstanding between France and Ger
many as long as the French militarlsts
exercise authority over German cit
liens
n cannot be proved that the Landau
yAr6ict was a deliberate attempt Of
French military circles 70 counteract
Foreign Minister Brands policy OF ur1- |
Outstanding. but wherever generals en-
cage in politics. the buds OF peace are |
rirosd. II is the same in France as in /
All other military states and sensible /
Frenchmsn long since have realized the |
sbsurdity Of continued occupation OF !
tire Rhineland.
But France cannot shake on the icea
o. earning some profit from the ietter |
of the peace treaty and feels that an I
earlier end Of occupation must be paid |
for financially or politically. The as
cussscns at Thoiry in 1926 we're con- |
Quoted along this line.
Two wears have passed since then /
and Germany is less in a position to |
nav anything for liberation OF the !
Phineland She has concluded the Lo- /
carno pact, has worked for every form |
Of disarmament and arbitration and |
~ill sign the kellogg war outlawry pact. /!
she has given so many proofs oil COCO |
viii that there is nothing left to be |
6one. Paris must decide whether II WIN |
regard all this as a scrap OF paper OF
IS the realities of world politics
tcopyriEht. 1921