HINDENBURG'S DEFENCE

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 69, 21 March 1919, Page 5

HINDENBURG'S DEFENCE

Or EX-KAISERS FLIGHT. i Received 10.20 n.m.) LONDON. March 20. Defending the ex-Kairser's flight. FieldMarshal yon Hindenburg has published a statement that it was due to p. weakening of the nrmy and the spread of revolutionary opinions.— (A. and N. 2 ) The "Kaiser-true" party in Germany, of which Hindenburg has shown sians of hecoming the head, has made many frantic apologies for the Kaiser's ttight. The "Rreiizzeitung." which is ieadins the agitation for Wilhelm's return, recently jrave this version of the events attending the flight. Willielm H. did not resign as Kin* of Truss'!! Isavs the paper). The report of hie abdication r-pread hv the new Government was a lie. But scarcely anybody protested against it. Nearly everybody hastened to assure the world after the proclamation of the Republic that he took his standpoint on the ground of "facts as they are." This phrase covered cowardice and nothing else. Two days later the so-called armistice was signed by our co-called statesmen—the most shameful capitulation in the history of the world. In the midst of all this misery, our King, true to his promise of 1888— \ and the Army, we belong together —wished to place himself at the head of his army in order to lead it back in an orderly manner to fiermnny to preserve it from anarchy, and to keep this weapon for the Empire which needed it so badly, for the maintenance of order at home, and for securing for us Wilson's programme which we hail accepted.

At Great Headquarters. however, everybody was already goin. about with th" rod cockade. One of the leading generals, who could not show too much haste in nlncing himself on the standpoint of "facta as they are" —tho Revolution General, as he has been oallpd in circles of the new novernment—declared to the Supreme War Lord that this was impossible, that all the bridges and roads wore alroady occupied by revolutionaries, and that if ho wished to go to Germany with his troops, and the troops wished to go with him. that would moan civil war. Tho Monarch .was invit°d to depart for Holland, and then his abdication from the Throne of Prussia wa* forced from him. Only the Crown as Emperor did ho lay aside voluntarily. Since then, however, the lie has gone about that the last Hohenzollern fled and left tho army and nation to their fate. It is only one of many lies. When we were united under a strong monarchy We could defy a world of enemies. We are now not only impoverished but dishonoured, and the last thing desired by onr negotiators will he the delivering up of the banished Ilohonzollern. Never has a Prince so suffered for his people, never lias a nation so covered itself with slip hip. But wo arc pertain that thesp tines. j n which a nation has rejected its King and placed internationalism liefore the Fatherland, will pass, and that tho times will return when we shall cry, ''With God for King and Fatherland."