PRINCESS’S CLAIM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 29, 14 November 1939, Page 6

PRINCESS’S CLAIM

LORD ROTHERMERE’S EVIDENCE. RESTORATION OF MONARCHY. STABILITY JN'CENTRAL EUROPE. (United Press Association—Copyright.. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, November 13.

The Court to-day resumed the hearing of the case in which, alleging that Baron Rothennere engaged her as personal foreign representative, Princess Stefanie of Hohenlohe—tValdenbourg, the divorced wife of a Hungarian magnate, is suing Lord llothermore for breach of contract.

Lord Rothennere, giving evidence, denied that he paid the Princess for her silence. He said that between July, 1932, and January, 1938, he paid her “considerably more than £51,000.” In 1932 he was in touch with Hungarian magnates who wanted to restore the Hapsbnrgs but could not afford proper income for them, and he offered to contribute £25,000 for five years. He emphasised that he advocated justice for Hungary entirely on his own initiative because he thought that on the deatli of Marshal von Hindenburg the whole of Central Europe might become a melting-pot and the restoration of the Hohenzollerns and Hapsbnrgs would be the only way to stabilise the position. Questioned regarding his relations with Herr Hitler’s aide (Captain Wiedemann), Lord Rothennere stated that he once thought Captain Wiedemann of the highest character, but changed his view in the autumn of 1938, when Captain Wiedemann and the Princess improperly brought pressure on him to settle the action.

M. Beyfus read a cablegram that Lord Rothennere sent to Captain Wiedemann early in 1939, stating: “Everyone is aware that yo conduct of yours at any time is capable of censure.” Lord Rothermere said that the Prime Minister and others in London wanted the best possible terms from Germany. “Therefore 1 telegraphed to Captain Wiedemann in that strain, because 1 knew ho had great influence and was able to carry on the spirit of the Munich. Agreement.”