The German Criminals (6 february 1920)

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

The German Criminals is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in The Times on 6 february 1920.

See also his first letter on the same topic: The German Criminals (12 november 1918).


Editions

  • in The Times (6 february 1920 [UK]) as The German Criminals
  • in Daily Mail (7 february 1920 [UK]) as German Judges


The German Criminals (The Times)

The Times (6 february 1920)

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir, — If the war had gone against us, and part of the German peace terms had been that Haig, Beatty, Jellicoe, and some hundred others should be delivered up to be tried upon some points which appeared to us to be inadequate, we should certainly feel an enduring resentment. We can therefore understand the feelings of the ill-informed German public. It is the first duty of a wise diplomacy to avoid enduring resentments, and therefore we should endeavour to find some means for alleviating the situation, so long as justice does not suffer.

Might I suggest that the German face would be saved, and no real harm done if they were asked to provide a Judge, or possibly two Judges, for the tribunal? If it could be so arranged that these Judges were drawn from the non-Junker class, then it is possible that they would concur with much that has to be done. But at the worst, where the Allied Judges were unanimous their presence would do no harm, while where there was difference of opinion it would tip the scale in favour of the prisoner. In every way, as it seems to me, we should now work for a peaceful Europe, which offers the only hope for financial stability.

Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex, Feb. 5.



German Judges (Daily Mail)

Daily Mail (7 february 1920)

SUGGESTION BY SIR A. CONAN DOYLE.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in a letter to The Times yesterday, wrote:

"If the war had gone against us, and part of the German peace terms had been that Haig, Beatty, Jellicoe, and some hundred others should be delivered up to be tried upon some points which appeared to us to be inadequate, we should certainly feel an enduring resentment.

"We can therefore understand the feelings of the ill-informed German public. Might I suggest that the German face would be saved, and no real harm done if they were asked to provide a Judge, or possibly two Judges, for the tribunal? At the worst, where the Allied Judges were unanimous their presence would do no harm, while where there was difference of opinion it would tip the scale in favour of the prisoner."