BULGARIAN WAR TRIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18364, 3 April 1923, Page 5

BULGARIAN WAR TRIAL.

EX-MINISTERS IMPRISONED SIX LIFE SENTENCES. RELATIONS TO THE ALLIES. By Telegraph—Press Association-- Copyright. (Received 9.20 p.m.) Reuter. SOFIA, April 1. The Supreme Court' has given judgment in the cases against generals and Ministers in office at the time of Bulgaria's entry into the war. The ex-Pre-mier, M. Radoslavoff, and five oilier members of the Cabinet were sentenced to fife-long imprisonment, General Naidenoff/ ex-Minister for War, to 15 years' imprisonment, and General Zecoff, ex-Com-mander-in-Chief, to ten years. The sentences on the other Ministers and generals range from ten years to five, and all lose their political and civil rights for life. They are also, ordered to pay collectively war damages totalling 32 milliards of levas (£1,280,000,000); M. Radoslavoif was condemned in contumacium. M. Badoslavc and colleagues, who had been imprisoned since 1919, were charged with treason by involving Bulgaria in the war without Parliament's consent, and with stealing millions of public money. The chief feature of the long-drawn-out trial was the speech for the defence by M. Toutcheff, ex-Minister for Finance, one of those convicted, which lasted for a month. M. Toutcheff declared that Bulgaria did not enter the war on the Allies' side because Serbia, Greece, and Rumania refused the slightest territorial concessions, and the Entente offered only insignificant compensation from Serbian and Greek territory. Although Britain officially invited Bulgaria's assistance, the Ministry learned elsewhere that she really did not desire Bulgaria to take part for fear Russia would obtain possession of Constaninople. The Ministry also believed that Italy and Russia did not want Bulgaria's help.

The trial just concluded has been proceeding since October, 1921, and ineluded 11 members of the Bulgarian war-time Ministry, including the commander-in-chief, who were first imprisoned n't the end of 1919. The ex-Premier, M. Radoslayoff, escaped arrest by fleeing to Germany before the armistice. A twelfth member of the Cabinet died in prison. The prisoners were marched thrice daily manacled through the streets of Sofia, escorted by armed men. The Court consisted of 17 Judges, of whom 10 co-called "people's judges" are peasants. The charges, which were framed under an amazing special Act, makine the principal penalty death, were (1) That the Cabinet declared war without the consent of Parliament; (2) that it leased State coalmines to Germany for 99 years; (3) that it seized enemy property without the consent of Parliament; (4) that it increased the severity of the military penal code ; (5) that it was guilty of bribery and other corruption; (6) that it diplomatically orepared to join Germany without considering the advantages offered by the other side. The Act, which waa' entitled the law for the prosecution of the originator.* of the national defeat, was renllv indictment, verdict, and jndtrment ro'rv bined. The penalties included a remarkable decree that all who participated in diplomatic preparation for wars were liable to the same punishments, besides responsibility for the whr>l-> cost of the war, which wag £400.000,000.