BRITISH JUSTICE IN COLOGNE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160711, 26 July 1920, Page 3

BRITISH JUSTICE IN COLOGNE.

STRICT, BUT IMPARTIAL. One of the mo-t interesting- features of Cologne ,ifc under British occupation is the Summary 'Court, writes a correspondent with the Ehiie army in the Gaily Mall. ‘This is the special tribunal which disposes of offences committed by civilians against the decrees of the military authorities. Such lapses range over a fairly largo gamut, and include theft, assault, surreptitious salo of liquor, being out of doors after hours, and travelling without permits. 'I ho Summary Court in conducted very much on the lines of a Police Court at Home. The military atmosphere, however, is preserved by having an ofiicci! for president and soldiers for gaolers. Justice is adnii in stored with British promptitude and thoroughness The accused having been placed in the clock, the charge is read and repeated by an interpreter “Hans Schmidt, tramway conductor, Schiidre Gassc, import-nc-cce to au officer.” is the first ease. Captain Jones, the witness, steps into the box and gives his evidence. “Anything to say?” inquires the president. Hans Schmidt has a good deal to say. Ho is listened to with patience, but the judges arc experts at disentangling legitimate excuses from wilful misconduct. “Fined twenty marks,” is the decision. “Be more careful in future. Next case.” Wilhelm Stumpf, a fat and frightenedlooking cafe proprietor, appears to answer a. charge of keeping his establishment open after hours and selling liquor, to soldiers. He is brimful of excuses. “A* joM von leedle mistake, honourable sir,” he murmurs, tearfully. ‘You look over it, nicht war?” “Two weeks’ imprisonment,” an nonnees the president, who has already dealt with fierr Stumpf for the same offence, and is gett'ng tired of him. Ho knows, too, that any fine would merely be paid out of ill-gotten profits. A M-ry common charge dealt with by the Summary Court is that of “failing to salute an officer.” Every uniformed German in Cologne (tranyvay conductors, railway porters, postal employees, and policemen) is required to salute a British officer whenever he seek 'cue. Most of them do so punctiliously. A few, however, appear to be suffering from a. curious form of eye failure which enables them to pass within a yard of an officer and vet fail to notice him. At any rate, this is the cxeusu commonly advanced when such a charge has to he met. The surest and quickofc cure of this complaint is the imposition of a fire. Influenced, probably, by the evil example of the ex-Crown Prince, a good many Germans have deievoped a taste for looting. Cases if theft are severely dealt with, and a stiff term of imprisonment is always awarded. Bad boys who appear before the Summary Court are dealt with in appropriate fashion. Instead of imposing fines (which their parents have to pay), or sending them to prison, the Court is empowered to direct that they be handed over to an expert sergeant of tho military police, who is instructed to ac quaint them with the business end of a birch rod. This seems to be efficacious, as there is no record of a juvenile offender who has received this treatment coming up for it a second .time. I have often heard Germans discussing tho Summary Court as administered by the British authorities in Cologne. They sometimes complain that it is strict. Still, they alvays admit that it is impartial and fhat they can depend on getting justice there. This is certainly a feather in our cap.