WILLIE THE KNUT.

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 816, 18 February 1916, Page 6

WILLIE THE KNUT.

A Cowardly Prince. GIVING the Huns a dose of, their own' favourite medicine—for the Allies—French : aviators made a sudden dash on a little town near Basle, on German, not- Swiss territory, o£ course. Our old friend. Willie the Knut, happened to be there. .The French official account of what happened is decidedly amusing. The Kaiser's gallant heir, the hope and pride of the warlike Hohenzollerns. the lineal descendant of the Great Frederick,, scuttled away into a cellar until the aeroplanes had passed, and then motored off in hot haste to Altkirch. It woxild be interesting to know what the German soldiers and German people think and say (in safe company, when there are no official spies about) concerning this latest and most contemptible exhibition of cowardice by their Crown Prince. * ■* ■» «• The Kaiser recently declared that the Hohenzollerns have never known fear, and will fight out this war to the bitter end regardless of consequences to their dynasty. But when the dynasty is represented by a proved craven, the consequences of failure may be so serious as to make even the proud Emperor himself fear for the future. If Germany is beaten as beaten she must and will be, it is a fairly sure thing that the Hohenzollerns will share the fate of the Bourbons, drivenout for ever by a disillusioned and disgusted nation. The chances of Willie the Knut

ever placing an Imperial crown on Lisempty head are becoming, more antimore doubtful as the war'goes-on.