CAILLAUX.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1919, Page 7

CAILLAUX.

THE ARCH INTRIGUES. <■ I A CATSPAW OF GERMANY. It waß cabled last week that M. Caillaux (ex-Premier of France), who was undergoing trial for treachery during th war, had become insane. The gravamen of the charges against Caillaux is that Germany intrigued with him to secure a peace understanding at Britain's expense. The scheme provided for the evacuation of the occupied territories of France and Belgium without indemnities, and the ceding of portion of Alsace to France, in return for liberty being given to Germany to continue the war against Britain. He was involved in the 8010 scandals and in the efforts made by the Germans to carry on their defeatist campaign in the French. Tress. His sinister influence on the French conduct was only broken when M. Clemen-1 ceau returned to power, Tho tiger of France immediately took steps which put Caillaux behind the bars to face the gravest charge which could possibly be brought against a statesman. Caillaux has lived a tempestuous life. He was at the head of the Government at the time of the Agadir incident, and on that occasion M. Clemenceau brought him down by suddenly unmasking the fact that M. Caillaux, as Prime Miniscer, had conducted the negotiations with Germany behind the back of his own Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was rumored and believed that the Machiavellian statesman had enriched himself in big financial deals with the Germans. iHo was believed to be enormously rich. Then came a series of accusations of a still more damaging character in the Figaro, in which the paper unfortunately mixed up with matters of public importance a few letters of an amorous kind. That campaign was closed by Mme. Caillaux, who went to the office of the Figaro and shot the editor, M. Calmotte. Even in face of this crime M. Caillaiuu did not lose his nerve. He defended his wife with indomitable spirit, he maintained his popularity in his consttuency of La Sarthe, and he finally triumphed in the acquittal which closed the case. His popularity with a large section of the people of France continued until the disclosures of the treachery hunt showed him up in his true light and made him the most detested man in France, though he was firmly believed in and supported by a strong circle of personal friends.

When M. Caillaux was arrested, his safe was opened at Florence, and the contents made things look extremely black for him. A! "Renouard," the name under which ho travelled in Italy, had foolishly kept papers which connected him with von Luxburg, and in wnich the latter referred to Caillaux's negotiations with Germany. A telegram from von Luxburg was also discovered in which the amiable fomenter of trouble in South America advised the Wilhelmstrasse to instruct Berlin newspapers to manifest hostility to Caillaux. Witnesses were found who testified to the former Premier's plans to form a Pacifist Ministry, and more damning of all a whole scheme was found to have been drawn up, a scheme which included the ruin of patriotic, politicians. Another piece of evidence against Caillaux was Lis correspondence with von Bernstorff, or rather the count's correspondence with him. The count, on his recall from America, actually wrote to Caillaux asking that he should be treated with courtesy if his ship were captured. Caillaux was also busy on a plan to estrange France, Italy and England. In pursuance of this idea, on a visit to South America he gave an interview in which he said: "Our war with Germany is a folly and a crime. France is pulling the chestnuts out of the fire for England." I After Caillnux's arrest, the world was startled by the news that General Sarrail, who was in charge of the army in Salonika, had been recalled. Ti.c reason of this was that Caillaux, when he had formed his Ministry, had arranged to give Sarrail command of the French Army. Sarrail may not have been consulted, but it was obvious that his recall was necessary.

Other papers showed that Caillaux's intrigues extended to Turkey, and two (lays after his arrest Paul Comby and M. Loustalot, two of his accomplices in these negotiations, were arrested.