POLITICAL AFTERMATH OF ZABERN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1951, 7 January 1914, Page 5

POLITICAL AFTERMATH OF ZABERN.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR IN CONFLICT WITH

- H-H :, ■, fms'INFIiuENCpWEAKENED; , ■ Association-; Oo&yrlfc'M r &%~ BorSn,':'January ■5. - jSj-Jho-pimisliment-of Lieut. ■ Yon Foerstner.over the Zabcrn incident'has brought the Chancellor- (lien;; von liethmann Holln-eg)' into conflict : \vtlr the Consercomplain of d Burreutk-r to nnli-niilitaristsand-L'i-ancophiSos. '■' ■ .■■ Tho Conservative' press/ is ■ Herr Von Jagow,'" President of ; as a'cliamiiion of Prussian ideals against a...Democratic Reichstag, the Conserva'tive revolt greatly weakcuing-Hcrr J.iolj.■wcr's."position.y,'■'■[£■■: ,;yv : . i■-. :;.■.Colonel' Von-Rc-iiter's"coiirt-niartial 'on .charges of usurping tho' civil executive" power at Znborn and-infrinßini* the .liberty of the subject, jias commenced at Strasburg. / "i 1 %t "..» <'-\ ,•>:.. The stales ■that a member of the Crown Prince's entourage reports that tho Prince has ex< 'pressed to Colonel , Von. Router, liis approval of his attitude at Zabern. . ■. l|j/'. ; THE COURT-MARTIAL.:' '*£' B-EUTER. ACCEPTS ALL '„ <fU;;:' .-:. responsibility. .... ■■-,•'. |.fta(Rcc; January 6, 10.15 p.m.) ■ ?/;M : 'i"''-- ■■«:'- y Berlin,' January 6.' :...Colonel von Renter has accepted full responsibility for tiie acts of his junior .officers. Jn his evidence at the coin'tmartial ho gave.instances of brawls between soldiers and civilians, in which tho former had. been punished by tho niilitary- authorities, but' the civil authorities had not proceeded against civilians. ■ ■..■'.' :/

'.: Witness had'instructed his officers to use their weapons in such a way as to facilitate tho identification of civilian .brawlers, as tha police had , failed to protect the army from insult. ' He had ordered Lieutenant' Scliadt to enforce respect.■ ~"■:■■.■: . :■;■'■' ~ ,:' .• ' Witness admitted that he. had told tho Civil Administrator,that it would bo a good thing under certain circumstances to ict blood How, for ho was defending tho prestige-and honour of tho wlioSc army. -. '' ■■■>-.-■"

■ Lieutenant Scliadt testified that he had arrested everyoive suspected of insulting the army. , Pressed as to whether ho would say that ho had arre&tcd a bank clerk for laughing, ho replied: "No —but I suspected him of laughing."-. These people were too cowardly to insult us to our faces,, and therefore wo had to bo guided by presumption. " ■ ' . Hcrr Wahn, the District Administrator, stated that from the first then had been no co-operation between Colonel von Renter and the civic authorities at Zabcrn.

■ Lieutenant von Foerstncr in his evidence said that besides many offensivo expressions ehmrtod lie had, received 1400 abusive letters and postcards. The "Mittag Z-eitung" states that the Crown Prince has practically boon, stripped of his military authority for congratulating Colonel von Renter on the Zabem ali'air.

Colonel Von Bciiter" wai in Command tit Znbern at the time of the incident. Herr Von Jagoiv accused the courtmartial on the fotarn affair of convicting Lieutenant Yon poerstupr- contrary to I;i\v, If-officers, ho snid. who were etatooned alinost in -nu ■eiwiiny , * country were threatened bv civilians it was a <Hs-Rraco-to Hie noljlest professinn. Tii-o repeal of Hie law wnts an nrgpiit political necessity. * The Prussian. Government Miliopqti'ently dfcWpd to iiKinirn whether, mid to what »xfp.nt. Hen , Von .Tssow exceeded thfl iitiiitatioivs inctiinbcnl: linon hiat.in his political and official capacity.