CAILLAUX THE TRAITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 89, 9 January 1919, Page 6

CAILLAUX THE TRAITOR

INDICTMENT IN THE FRENCH SENATE RELATIONS WITH ENEMY AGENTS The French Senate recently sat as a High Court to hear read 'the indictment | against M. Caillaux, which was based on a dossier of over 7000 documents. M. Caillaux was not present.- At the outset of tho indictment the Pirblic Prosecutor, if. Lescouve, recalled the circumstances which brought about the prosecution of J(. Caillaux, those of the defeatist journals—the "Bonnet Rouge" of Almeyireda, the "Traiichee 'Rcpublioaine" of Landau —and of tho CaralHni, I/enoir, and Desouohes 'scandals. The prosecutor continued :— "With-regard to the war policy of M. Caillaux, who posed as a party chief and future Prime Minister, the Examining Judge (Captain Bouchardon) was able to lay his hand upon two series of documents which had bsen placed for security in the Florence safe in November, 1916, and which can leave no doubt of the state of mind of the accused person. •- In an anonymous memoradum entitled "Les Kesponsables—la Guerre et la Paix," which is composed of two manuscript copies entirely in-M. Caillaux's handwriting, one of which was a more first at-' tempt, dated April 6, 1915, and three typewritten copies of the actual text, the accused ehdeavouirs to show, with an ingenuity' worthy of a better cause, that if Germany willed the war, and even declared it, she, as a matter of fact, only willed it hesitatingly. However.improbable this may appear, for M. Gaillaux those responsible for the war were not eo much Germany and her leaders as the French Press and the French Governpment. ..,-., j "Together with- this memorandum were also found in tho Florence safe a political note in which M. Caillaux outlined the steps to be taken, when he assumed power "as ..Prime Minister, in order to ir.nkp peace [the "Rubicon" document]. M. Caillaurx's programme, while it was one of immediate pence a'broad, would have resulted in a coup d'etat and civil war in the interior." The "indictment mentions that certain document? of German origin had been discovered, dealing with tie A.sadir period, w'mcli throw a ninßiilftr rM disturlj? in? light upon M. Caillaux's attitude towards Germiny. and it suggests that M.Calmotts's knowledge of ihese documents may not have been altogether'foreiitn to Jf.' Calmette's assassination by' Mme. Caillaux. , ••■ A Luxburg Telegram. M. Lescouve then examines the activities of 11. Ciiillaux during his mission, to South America, where through a German. Itulitm named Minotto, who at the outbreak of war was employed by - the Deutsche Bank iu London, ho would appear to have entertained indirect-relations with Count Luxburg, the Gorman Minister famous through-- his "Spu'rlos versenkt." i' . i' JL. Caillaux naturally denies vigorously that he was in any way in touch, with Count' Luxburg,,,l>ut it is noted by the prosecution that, shortly after M. Caillnux had learnt that.the "Keue Freie Presee" Jiad written eulogistic articles concerning his policy, Count Luxburg telegraphed through Count Bernstorff ■to Berlin tliat Caillaux, "after a short stay, is returning to France. . .'. He qnito sees through the British policy . and sees in the war now a struggle for the existenco of Britain. .' . . Hβ baa hardly changed his political ideas. Caillaux is touched b"y indirect acts of politeness on my part, and insists upon the necessity for prudence in view, of the fact that the French' Government is watching him here. He uttors a warning against the excessive praise given him by our Press, in particular by the 'Noiie i'reie Presse,' and would like, on the other hand, to see the Mediterranean and Morocco Treaties -criticised. Our praise is ruiuing bis situation in France." . ■ Perhaps the most serious portion of the indictment is that relating .to the activity of the peace-time Hungarian acquaintance of M. Caillaux, Lip'pscher, mid his mistress. ' •.•■%■"' Lippscher, who was. in Brussels at the moment, sought to obtain a passport from the French' Consulate for Paris,w;here he desired to explain tho benevolence of German intentions' i towards France. $ The pnssport was refused. He tried again in 1915' at The Hague, where he gave the French Minister the impression that he was acting as agent for Baron von Lancken, who was Counsellor of the Geriuan Embassy at the time of M. Caillaux's secret diplomacy in 1911. Lippscher then sought to enter into correspondence with- M. Cnillaux, but realising that he could hardly expect to receive written answers in time of.war to his proposals, he then sent his mistress, to Paris via Englandi She went to see M. Caillaux, and,' according to M. Caillaux, after she had explained that she was acting on behalf of Baron von Lancken, he informed her that he could have, nothing to dp with the matter, and that he would at once warn MM. Malvy and Viviani of her activities. This would-be a complete defence, were it confirmed. Unfortunately for M. Caillaux, however, M. Viviani declares that in 'no wny, directly or indirectly, did M. Caillaux ever inform him of any peace proposals emanating from von Lancken. JI. Caillairx has stated that he communicated letters he had received :<> M. Briantl. Al. Briand flatly denies this. ,';-.. M. Malvy alone appears to have retained some recollection of the Lippscher case- This is not surprising when .it is remembered that it was 11. Malvy who put M. Caillaux on his'guard and warned him that his relations with Duverger weVe being watched by the ipolice. Correspondence has been found, pSwtly at. the Prefecture of Police, and when the code had been discovered its general tenor was quite -clear. The Germans sought to obtain from 11. Caillanx a 6eparato Franco-German understanding of peace at the expense mainly of England. The terms of that peace were, broadly, the evacuation of the occupied territories of France and Belgium, no war indemnity, the possible cession to France of that portion of Alsace which French troops, occupied, in return for liberty for Germany to continue the war against Great Britain. Relations 'with Almeyreda. ■ The Public Prosecutor then proceeded to deal at some length with M. Caillaux's relations with 8010, Almeyreda, and t^ie "Bonnet Eouge":— "it has by now become a trite'saying that M. Caillaux for years, wherever he was—France, South America, Italymoved in a circle of disreputable people, usually pacifists and pro-Germans, aud very often men in the pay. of Germany. . . . Repeated contact with enemy agents, cordial and sustained relations with traitors, tho memorandum of r 'Les Responsables.," and the-political'notes-there you have M. Caillaux's whole war activity and achievements." As a touchstone of M.Caillaiiix's.relations with Almeyreda was quoted the famous letter beginning, "It is you, dear friend, who hurt me deeply by speaking of my want of feeling," and in relation to'the intimacy of M. Caillanx with 8010, , Count Bernstorlf's telegram, beginning "Number 379, February 2fi, 1916. Received direct information from source whoily trustworthy that political action in one of enemy countries will bring about peace," and a second telegram, containing a warning that the German Press must abstain from commenting in approval on the coming change in French internal policy. Summing up, M. Lescollve declared:— "Such aro the facts. It is a complete underground policy, encouraged and seconded by Germany with the object of bringing M. Caillaux back to power and obtaining a separate pence. . This policy, which has not even the excuse of frankness, is characterised by manoeuivi-cs and machinations and even by constant con-tact-with the enemy. It will be the work of the High Court Committeo of Inquiry to complete and verify the-results'of the two inquiries started by the third courtiiiartial." •