CURFEW IN COLOGNE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 143, 12 March 1919, Page 7

CURFEW IN COLOGNE

FIRST TRIAL. UNDER THE REGULATIONS EVEN-HANDED BRITISH JUSTICE (From a Special Correspondent of the "Morning Post.") Cologne, December 16. • Cologne- is beginning to realise that British law is not a tiling to be trifled with.' A small'proportion of the inhabitants, mistaking delay for indecision, perhaps for weakness, had declared lightheartedly that "the English would not be too severe," even suggesting that the new regulations would not bo rigidly enfoi'ced. Their Error was made clear to them to-day, when a eninmary Court dealt with the h'i'st transgressors against the disciplinary measures put in effect yesterday. Between thirty and forty men and women of varying ages and social position were fined seven francs or ten marks, with the option of seven days' imprisonment, for being in the streets after 9 p.m. without a pass. They were warned that a second offence would be punished far more severely. Generally speaking, the nine o'clock order was well obeyed on the first night. The Chief Burgomaster let it be known that unhesitating compliance with all British regulations was in lie interest 'of the people. He put put a proclamation yesterday urging" that our troops should be treated with the utmost courtesy, especially by children and young people generally, and pointing out that the attitude of the population would largely determine fheir future under British, rule. By,half-past eight last night the crowded cafes and kinemas, which had been open in a blaze of light until after eleven the previous nights, began to turn out their patrons I walked down the Hohrstresse, or High Street, at a quarter to nine, and found Bauer's, the Palnst, the Simplicissimns cabarets and other resorts dark and their blinds drawn. The street was crowded, but the people were hurrying home, many of tho women even running. Some, however, were promenading in a leisurely way, as thoiirrh rather amused at the haste of others. The Cathedral clock tolled the hour, .and nothing happened; it struck the guarter and then the half hour without, any sign of trouble, and the lote stayers brgan to take heart, t)hinking that s.fter all there might be something ia the suggestion that the British did not mean to be as good as their word.

At half-past nine there was still a little crowd of idle spectators in the Wallrafsplatz gazing at the brilliantlylit entrance to the Hotel Metropole, the iiovernor-Generai's headquarters, and the solemn sentries pacing before their boxes it is the greatest attraction of Cologne this plain, four-storied, white-fronted hotel and all day long .people stand around it like fascinated children watching officers as they come and-go arid wasting much time to see the changing of the guard,.even following escorting pipers to ami from the barracks near by. The late etayers wero still "glued to their Places nt half-past nine, oblivious of everything when the trouble began.

The Round Up. It started in front of the Dom Hotel, opposite the Cathedral. A major wearing the armlet of an assistant provostmfiushal with half a dozen British military police at his heels. Three inconspicuous German civilians hovered in the background. 'The Germans carfjl walking-sticks and open note-bqoks. JJetective was written all over them. Ihey were agents of the Criminal Bureau, the C.1.D." of Cologne, eager to 00 the bidding of their new chief in ■British uniform. ,Two women came into the Domkloster' or Cathedral Square, chatting gaily; a fat German with a black bag was crossing the square; a discharged soldier and a civilian friend were talking at the corner; three youths of the clerk type were walking towards the railway station. The British police spread swiftly and silently. The women halted, shook their heads laughingly when asked for.oasses, and were deftly shepherded to the in the shadow-of tho hotel; •he fat German came up at a half run ihaking Ins bag nervously; the soldier 'Suited, made a 'gesture of resignation, md stood at attention; the three idle clerks simulated ignorance, and then surpnsc, but joined tlip others. In less than a minute a dozen people were haked inside a little cordon. 1 . Had thev permission to be out? A'confused oabel or voices was cut short bv the incisive demand of the major: Had thev Permission to bo out after nine? They ,were silent. A wave of the hand brought ? m 'Plam-clothes men. Names and ™f reSS TI, f m 6 ° f tllem tried t0 K«e. ihe German agents raised their voices and hurled long, intricate sentences at- the culprits in true Prussian ■l , „ erc waa as they knew it. and .they Succumbed. What a con-' 1 aS n't^ a3 V tlle I" iet > flrm tones of , fetish officer and his men and the harsh, menacing gesiares of the Cologne Police, making it clear to the prisoners that the new jorrn of discipline was no less to be feared than tho old. Thev were questioned'with neatness and dispatch, ordered to present themselves at Halt-past nine the next morning, for' judgment and told to go home, .wonty minutes the police trap was Knfli Ti je square is a kind of bottle-neck, through which traffic passes nom the centre of the city to the railj way and tram stations and the Hohen- | zollern Bridge. [ Further Captures. ' ,no ™d his I hV "l V' (lm ™ tjio moie 7T'l bils f ng Whnps fifteen ,f « kei i' homeward bound, who had h Tn /! letI et a ? aSS; a raan whi) it it lew i *5 ]ust gcttin S over hid kirn V ® who i foi Jtpn hn S lV ,( £ fhends and 'X" 1 I ioigotten hoiv late it was; an aeitated youth who had stayed out to S a British soldier found ill and unconscious ■ f S :rect; awl tllree or f our who l.eie out localise they were out and could think of nothing in the way of S SeS, A SO w^ ,Ckl - V 1 H ' Cr ° tL< * P"l S n -FT 1 " 1 , , W,IQ was soe " to aci cost a British soldier was halted questioned for half a minute, handed over Men P ° liceman ' and Tho Summary Court opened at ten 0 clock in the morning. Three office compose, ih T !l0 y ■«& one side 0 f a TW, tt iV h S e smol<,n S-room of-tho Dom Hotel, with an officer interpreter at one end. At the other stood the Clerreadv ' r R e -rT ith iV. ,eir noto books readj. A. British soldier v.-as at the door a,,,! a sergeant kept tho cliai-o sheet nud ushered in the offenders. That was all. . ihose accused simply of bein» out after nine o'clock without a p„"s their S™ q'l 111 blocks of ten 1)l!fore 0 . J", ll K cs - j-liey were very polite and required no disciplining. Some of the men came to attention smartly and clicked their heels, and most "of the table!' 1 OV ' Cd a !itne timidl >' 10 tho Judicial Methods. of T !he C fi°r" , t t t ,V '' lS T rn in l««i» 01 Hie lirst ten, who informed of of the ceremony. The?; "ne?e" U ''n.T <I ! ' JUI enel > Here. rho charge vns explained nnd they wero asked if tliey pleaded miX Lin B "i lty - Thn the fi tilify of argument, but, a few proffer, cd explanations, which were listened to patiently. One man arrived at the rail way. station at ten minutes past nine by a tiain which was twenty-five mimitos late. He was told that the rule was a iule, and that if lie ran a risk by deM 10 P" nctualit y of trains he must abide by tho consequences. The man who stayed cut to succour a Bri- ! sojfjjei- whom lie found il! in the street told his story tearfully, speakimr what he thought was English Ul ? til H * Judges earnestly begsred him to talk German He made out a good case, and bowed himself nearly double when told no was discharged, A \er.v pretty woman who appeared with a travelling bag just as she had been arrested on tho' way from the rail way sfntion the night before made the most sensible remark of the lot "In. norance is no excnso for breaking the aw," she said when asked whether s'-ie had any defence to offer, and she paid her ten marks with a smile. There were a number of youths in the subsequent batches, and they had no excuses. Sev-

ernl shopkeepers were warned that they must close oarly enough to allow them to got home by nino. A woman who sold intoxicants in a place where it ib forbidden at all times to sell them, by Gorman as well as British law, was fined thirty marks. Every charge was gone into carefully, and do attempt at defence was checked. Most of the- fines were paid on the spot.