THE KAISER'S RESPONSIBILITY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17476, 22 January 1919, Page 5

THE KAISER'S RESPONSIBILITY.

EMINENT FRENCH JURISTS'

OPINION.

LIABLE UNDER PENAL AND

CIVIL LAW.

(Reuter.)

Received January 21, 10.15 p.m PARIS, January 20.

The official bulletin of the Peace Conference gives a report upon the Kaiser's responsibility for the war by the jurists mentioned, namely, M. Larnande, a doyen of the Faculty of Law, and M. De la Pradelle, professor of the International Law at Paris University. The report states that the Kaiser is answerable in his I own person, both in penal and civil I law, for the war, and for the crimes I committed by the armed forces under ! his command. The Kaiser's position j is similar tq that of the directors of | a public company, who can be punj iahed by the criminal law, while the j position of the German; nation is | similar to that of the shareholders j who cannot. The Kaiser cannot ; escape responsibility, because the j German constitution gives him alone the power of decision. The German sovereign depends solely upon "God and his sword." The Kaiser ia his j speeches frequently expressed this ! view of ;his authority, and, according jto the constitution, the Kaiser declares war in the name of that confederacy whereof Prussia" is the dominant partner; and the Kaiser was the King of Prussia. The jurists auote' a letter showing that-the Kaiser ordered and desired ferocious methods of warfare. The Kaiser, early in the war, wrote to the Emperor of Austria stating that "everything must be put to fire and sword —men, women, and children. The old men must be slaughtered, and no house or tree left standing. With these methods of terrorism, which alone were capable of affecting a people degenerate as the French, ./the war will be over in two months." The report comments thus: "The Kaiser has incurred personal and penal responsibility, whereto must be, added the civil responsibility of the German Empire. Both are responsible—the Empire at civil law, ■and the Kaiser at penal and civil, according to the most etementary.rules of right." Finally, the jurists (juote Battle that a prince guilty of an unjust war is liable to personal penalties if such are necessary for the sake of an example, for the security of the injured party, and for the security of human society.

French jurists presented the dele-, gates with their report on the Kaiser's culpability. After pleading for the Kaiser's extradition and condign punishment, the report adds: The Kaiser should be judged by an international,' court forming the principal department of the League of Nations.