SUNKEN GERMAN FLEET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21467, 15 April 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

SUNKEN GERMAN FLEET

! MAN WHO GAVE THE ORDER BOTTOM OF SCAPA FLOW The man who sank the greatest armada in history has been discovered. This forgotten hero of the war is Admiral Von Reuter, who, as the Sunday Chronicle has revealed, was the man who originated, planned and carried through the scuttling of the German Fleet in Scapa Flow. To-day Admiral Von Reuter is living in retirement in a tiny house in Potsdam, Germany. He has not set foot on the bridge of a ship since he retired from the German Navy 13 years ago, a .few months after he had sent 50 battleships to the bottom of Scapa Flow. The Berlin correspondent of the Sunday Chronicle found the admiral a typical sailor, ruddy complexioned, blue-eyed. Though he is over 60 years of age he does not look a day over 50. Since the sensational order to scuttle the captive German Navy, he has deliberately sunk himself into oblivion as far as the public is concerned. But he revealed that he has not been inactive. On the contrary, he has been very active in a small circle, and mainly on one question—the restoration of the monarchy. It is the admiral's expressed conviction that Germany must again he ruled by a monarch if she is to survive. " The multitude can never rtde a country and a nation as effectively as can a few leaders," he said, adding that, in his opinion, the best form of government for Germany would bo a monarchy. " Only a monarchy can guarantee consistency in politics. Presidents are dependent on the momentary whims of the people,, and they must, after a certain period, face re-election. Hence they will be guided in their governmental activity by considerations of popularity which may or may not bo in the true interests of the State and the people. " I am convinced that the German people are more and more turning toward the idea of a monarchy after the struggle of the past years."