MOCKERY OF JUSTICE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 24 December 1926, Page 6

MOCKERY OF JUSTICE.

GERMAN OPINION OF FRENCH CONDUCT. (Per Press Association—Copyright.) BERLIN, December 22. Dr. Bell (Minister in Occupied Territorities), in a statement to newspapers, declares that the verdict is unbearable and a mockery of justice. If court inartials think so lightly of the lives of inhabitants, people will bo convicted that they are living without protection of law. He adds : “Germany will do all in her power to make right triumph.” LONDON, December 22. ” ans correspondent of the limes says that when it is generally known that the “Hoesch” has been ordered to remonxtrate against the Germersheim ■verdict, this knowledge was expected to cause almost as much indignation throughout France, as the verdict appears to have caused in Germany. * The majority of the newspapers support the Judge’s thesis, that the incidents at Germersheim were the result of German nationalist provocation, and that Lieutenant Rouzier had the right tc benefit by extenuating circumstances. The French Commissioners remark that the incidents, culminating art the: affray, dated from the introduction of more lenient policy in Rhineland after the Locaixo Pact, and have attracted wide attention. Both the French and Germans agreed that the incidents were the result of provocations, but whereas the Germans consider the French occupation was the root cause, the French maintain that the nervous state of the town, which made the incidents possible, was deliberately artificially created by German agitators in the attempt to hasten the withdrawal of the garrison. PARIS, December 22. German journalists, who daily reported the Rouzier case, sent M. Briand a protest against the extraordinary judgment of the Council of war, which is classed as a serious attack on the German people and the civilized world’s

conception of justice. (Two French soldiers at Germersheim (Bavaria) in September, quarrelled with two German civilians. They warnod the public to stand back, and then shot the Germans. The French gendarmerie arrested a number of Germans. The court-martial held concerning the affray, in which one, Mueller, was killed, and another. Mathes, was wounded by shots from the Frenchmen, acquitted the French. Lieutenant Rouzier. It sentenced Mathes to two years' default, and passed minor sentences on live other Germans). BERLIN. December 22. The Government has instructed Herr von Hoesch (Ambassador at Paris) to demand the re-opening of the Lindau case, and also officially protest, pointing out that the acquittal of Rouzier and the convicting of Germans seriously menaces the furtherance of FrancoGerman friendliness BERLIN, December 22. Unabated indignation at the Pandan judgment is voiced irf the morning pres-, which unanimously declares that while German territory is occupied and such acts are committed with impunity, a real Franco-German conciliation is impossible. The “Berliner Lokal Anzeiger” states that the verdict will unite all hearts in Germany. The “Kreuz Zeitung” savs “thus does Lqeqrno fool- in reality.” I The “Deutsche Tages Zeitung” states I that the decision will not be forgotten when France again tries to mislead Germany with promises. The “Berliner AUgemeine Zeitung” says the verdict, which acquits a murderer and sentences his victims, is a bloody mockery of justice.