WILLIAM,THE ASSASSIN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 10, 7 October 1919, Page 2

WILLIAM,THE ASSASSIN

; ETHICS OFJIIS TRIAL INTERESTING OPINIONS FOR AND AGAINST . "Tho worst of all ways of dealing with tlio Kaiser is to bring him. before a leisurely tribunal in' London," slates tho "Outlook." "There is no precedent for applying tho common law of England to » foreign iruler, and a precedent created might operate very awkwardly in future. , But there is a very good predeeent for ' dealing with a European nuisance—tho ; precedent of Napoleon; and' tliat might' very well be followed in this case." Tho "Law Journal" declares that "the so-called trial of tho ex-Kaiser" is a political act puro and simple. "It possesses'no foundations whatever either in the principles common to all .t.lio jurisprudence or the, world, or in : any known body of law, or in any recog-, nised codo of procedure. Tho charge is drawn with that astute vagueness of which only tho modern politician, with' his eye on tho electorate, is. capable, the' offences alleged being fagainst humanity and the sanctity of treaties.' In other words, tho justice to/be administered is at present undefined, unformulated, and! adaptablo .in advance to any conceivable' situation.' An attempt is being made,.by mounting this, piece of political play-' acting in quasi-legal, trappings', to pro-; tend to tho world that some question of. law is involved in which some persons holding judicial offieo will take part, and so give an appearanco of legality to tho, proceedings. It is necessary, therefore, to make it clear that, to jurists and thelegal profession'generally,' tho whole of ' this vote-catching business' has no more' than a political interest." Sir Donald Maclean, II.P;, lender of the ■: Independent Liberals in tho llouso of Commons, speaking at Birmingham, said ho regretted that the Kaiser tliould. bo tripd in London, there was nothing too bad for, a man of that kind, a miserable, strutting coward on .the world's stage, but lie. doubted very much whether it was in'consonarico with, the dignity and fine attitude of this country to claim the presence of.tliat contemptible wretch in the principal city of the British Empire. By til means try him,- but send him to 6ome littlej .'neutral ..'State, Rive him a fair trial, but send the creature away. "Notwithstanding the official announcement that the ICaiser is to v be granted a fair trial, I can observe 110 general disposition "to treat liis ease as sub jiidice," says "Jade" in tho "New Statesman."' "Looking' .through, one newspaper the other day, I found Mr. Tillett calling for •'Kis ex-Majesty's removal from tho earth, Sir Gilbert Parker demanding his internment in some distant island, and Lady ■Byron supplementing a plea for a judicial investigation with, the palpably .biased.'remark, !.thot, should the defendant not he condemned to. the gallowfl "or the guillotine, then the foulest deed? must be applauded and floral tributes laid on the shrine^ of .Satan. Even 'an eminent. K.C.i'.writing on. tho subject under .that designation, is betrayed at one point into speaking of the accused person as 'the greatest criminal in hi«lorv.' indeed, -it mu°t -he difficult for anybody in these islands to think, or specie otherwise. Obviously, . however, these are -scarcely tho, terms in which ,1 tfulv iudicial jmp'artialitv would express itself."

"We have jrot to publish, for all tho world to ?ee, .the results of, nnd.tlic spirit of, Prussian fi'is-htfulnws." says the "Spectator." "But one of tbe> best ways, nerhans tlie best of nil, for doins this* is Hip solemn record of a criminal trial. It is idle to say. that it shows went of magnanimity, or tfyit it is like Inciting a mlin wheij he is down, for the victors to hold up his misdeeds before the eyes of rtie, world, IVc must never forpet, as wo havo just raid, that it js onlv those ivho . are successful who can do this. We dare not'miss this opportunity of puttin? the brand of Cain upon the braw of Prus-, sianism. -The cominir (feneration miist know and fertr the Nemesis of Crivlty and Hate, of Blood-Lust and tho Piti- ( lc;sncs3 of a deified Materialism."