“SHAME.”

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 2789, 28 May 1921, Page 5

“SHAME.”

WAR CRIMINALS LIGHT SENTENCE

Electric Telegraph—Press Association Copyright. (Australian-N.Z. Cable Association.) London. A lay 26.

I 'The British new spaj>orx protest against the inadequacy of Hey net’s sentence of 10 months. When it was announced in the House of Commons there were many cries of “Shame!” According to a Liepzig telegram, lleyner showed no emotion, though the Judge scathingly condemned him, saving that such actions had. stained tlie honour of the German army, and brought down upon German heads the wrath of cultured people all over tlie world. Tlie Court went on to try Captain Emil Muller on a charge of appalling cruelties ait Llavelmartel camp, including photographing prisoners when in agony. FAILURE OF JUSTICE. London. May 26. The Times editorially describes Heyner’s sentence as a scandalous failure of justice. Humanity and justice forbids * the Governmen t to acquiesce in the imposition of such a light punishment for so atrocious an offence. The fact that the judge’s* comments seemed io show a sense of the abominable nature of the crime, makes the inadequacy of the sentence more revolting, and is instructive as showing the depths to which the minds of German civilians and judges are tainted with the detestable militarist doctrine. The Times asks: Are the war office emissaries, who inspired the orders for the exercise of brutality to enjoy immunity, while their underlings are made the scapegoats? Public opinion will compel the Allies to take into serious and immediate consideration this otlicp aspect of the Leipzig trials*.