THE EX-KAISER AGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 19722, 24 November 1927, Page 12

THE EX-KAISER AGAIN

“Experiments in untieing these tingled knots may add a little humorous relief to a controversy that will otherwise bo full of bitterness, for tho ex-Kaiser’s attempt to appropriate tho revived laurels of Tannenberg is savagely derided by tho German Democrats. Printed one evening only in the extreme Monarchist Press, tho letter was tho following day reproduced in tho Republican papers with a prominence indicating that they regard it as first-class propaganda for their own cause, and the comments upon it inundate tho writer with contumely.” VERY CAUSTIC COMMENTS. The fact that the “ runaway and abdicated monarch ” addressed his message not to the “ Reichsprosident,” but to “Field-Marshal von Hindenburg,” tho ‘ Frankfurter Zcituiig ’ sees an “absolutely improper lack of respect toward the head of tho State.” The ‘ Berliner Tageblatt ’ coniines itself to the remark: “ When one remembers how absolutely insignificant was the role played by the Kaiser in tho conduct of tho war, this rescript is of unsurpassable absurdity.” In the opinion of the ‘ Morgcnpost, “The heroic spirit of Tannenberg to which tho ex-Kaiser refers has absolutely nothing in common with the temperament as tho result of which Wilhelm H., together with his son, made olf to Holland in tho days of destiny.” A Kaiser, the paper declares, who in August, 1914, gave out the parole: “To the last gasp of man and Jioi'sc,” but “at the most critical moment left the army and the nation and fled,” cannot pretend to “so much as a breath of tho heroic spirit of Tannenberg,” and “lias no moral right to deluge ■the German nation with pious phrases.” Tho ‘ Volkszcitung 1 thinks that “Wilhelm, whoso linn, far-sighted leadership consisted in betaking himself to Holland at the worst moment of collapse, would do better not to talk about the heroic spirit.”

LETTER TO HIHDEHBURG Appalling problems seem to have been - raised for tho German Government by the letter—as tho'Communication is officially declared, to ,have been —sent by the ex-Kaiser- to President Hindenburg on the occasion of tho dedication of the Tannenberg memorial. True, it is declared in authoritative quarters that the letter and any answer that, way have' been returned by the tied marshall constitute a purely pri-vate-affair, with which the public lias no concern. _ That, however, is an arguable position which is already challenged. Tjio Berlin correspondent of the ‘Daily Telegraph’ says: “Tho whimsicality of a Gilbert would ho necessary to do full justice to the Poobah possibilities of intercourse between an abdicated monarch who still subscribes himself ‘ Emperor and King ’ and tho actual Presidential head of his former realm, who in correspondence with his old liege lord, signs: ‘ In deepest reverence and profoundcst gratitude—ever your Imperial and Royal Majesty’s most dutiful subject,’ as in tho published letter of July 28, 1922. “ Apparently the first stage of this perplexed affair is to decide in what capacity Hindenburg dedicated the Tannenberg memorial. Was ho President of tho Reich, field-marshal of the army, a private person, or a combination of these three, or any two of them? It would certainly bo a very rude shock to many Republicans who support him if they were told that he divested himself of the quality of President before ho set out in the cruiser Berlin for Koenigsbcrg. SAVAGE ATTACKS ON WILHELM. “.Perhaps it may ho plausibly argued by skilful State lawyers that Hiudenburg dedicated the memorial as President, but received the ex-Kaiser’s letter only as a private individual. That might'perhaps exclude tho public from participation in tho solution of the problem, but it would not make Hindenburg’s task materially easier. After all, ho wever much he may he entitled to enjoy the prerogatives of a private man, lie is none the less President of the Reich, the living embodiment of German sovereignty, and as such he cannot very well address a corresponj dent, as ho did the ex-Kaiser on July 28, 1922, as ‘ Most illustrious and most mighty Jtmperor, most gracious Emperor, King and Lord,’ to say nothing of subscribing himself, “ For over your Imperial and Royal Majesty’s most demoted subject.’ On tho other hand, after that insistent ‘ allezeit ’ (lor ever) it will be difficult for him in consistency to sign himself in any less humble terms.

“ WEAKLING’S MORBID SPASMS.” ' Strongest of all is tho language of tho ‘Vonvarls’; “That was the one thing Jacking,” says this paper, “at the celebration of a victory by the beaten generals the runaway monarch announces himself.” The words, “ German strength under far-sighted leadership,’’ sound strange in the mouth of a man “whoso aimless leadership led to the greatest catastrophe in tho history of the world.” True, he did not “will” the war, “for what will is in a htalthy man was lacking in this weakling actuated by morbid spasms, who over oscillacd between reckless arrogance and spiritual depression.” Thus ho “ first egged Austria on to attack Serbia; hut when ho saw what ho had done he took fright, and his tactless bombast deserted thim.” ‘ Vorwarts’ illustrates this criticism with copious citations from the ox-Kaiscr’s utterances during the events which led up to the war.