WEE WILLIE'S WISHES

NZ Truth, Issue 889, 9 December 1922, Page 10

WEE WILLIES WISHES

Back To Berlin

Says He Never Was a Burglar,

Regret that , ho cannot go back to jcrmany to aid In reuniting his country Is the principal emotion of the :rown Prince m exile at Wieringen, lolland, according to an authorised nterview with him, was given to .Tcnry L. Mencken, the critic and essayist, who has been m Central Europe for several months. Mencken comments on the dreariI v.ess of the island, which is entirely :ut off from the mainland for weeks | Taring tho winter. His narrative proceeds: , , • j "But 'this deadly lnolation has failed to make any noticeable Impression -on Jie spirit or frame of the prince/ There are touches of gra^ m his sandy hair, but he still is erect as a drill Sergeant, and as quick m speech and movement. Vory tall, slim and lithe, and now smooth shaven, he looks ■•uucli like a bipr boy. "But certainly there is nothing immature about his ideas. • Among: all the Germans I havo talked* to during fho past six weeks, ranging from his utfieials to ' novapaper editors, and from university professors to business mon, I can recall none whoso views of past and present events contain less of illusion. He discusses the war objectively and with great shrewdness, and accepts his present position uncomplainingly. It' is uncomfortable, but so is over;/ other Gorman position. "'Germany' he. bti id, "faces stupendous tasks and almost Intolerable burdans, and it is naturally ,hard for any German to stand by without taking a hand. 1 sincerely wish I could 'be more actively employed, but certainly have no desire to complicate tho present situation by raising factional questions. It would be absurd, of course, to Kay dynastic considerations do not interest mo, but they assuredly take second- place In rily thoughts. In such days r.s those T am, first of nil, a Gorman citizen and soldier. As such, my duty is precisely that of t?very other good Gonnan — to subordinate personal fortunes and even personal opinions to tho common gotou*. What we need to-,day above nil ... is national unity, " ' : A THOROUGHLY UNITED OrTRMANY would be unbreakable, 1 "I a.ske<l tho prince if he would vote, supiioalnp himself 'nt home." "'Certainly. 1 ho atißwerefl. 'My wife nlwnvH votes. Why shouldn't I? 1 "W:\tohCui Major M.i.ifldr.c-r uvi-K-nilv fe;ire<'l I would nslc him how ho would vote, hut the prince himself srivo-.l the situation. " i refuse to answer. 1 ho !<uW witli n (<ni!l?, 'The ballot is j-e.cret by law. inrt I Cthvhys try to i-bev the lmvH.' " "Like mr>;-.t other Govin;nis. the print. 1 ..' bel!ev«\'i th<- 'Europium sltv.n'.\r>\\ will juv-r.- be :.>i-n,iiticly r,:-iru<li" 1 ur.l'l Jlie United SViU-h t-\kos a h.-iiul ii; it. 'It rullu-i' Murt>i'}H;» rtio.' lie srii<!. •ih;t; (hf Ur.ite.d Stfit'"»n MS :l natiitii r.hnwl!tfl(V ertn«;e.r;i ."''nut 'ho i;:'m<-(lnU' future h«-re. "i'J ings ?.<> st> uiiis'j'-'.'iti h:\t\> to \vor;-e •■-] tiou't ti'iom !»}</•■;•■ ms\r>y ;»,li)n>, but . . ev^fyv/iit-re >>>i th'f'ojitinent. ller«» In rk;l>. j)e:i (V "f'i! IfoMrunK attiniif; pcorde fa^ii»'"is fn; 4 'n ■ 'lus'try nnil bu.nineys oapiifliy, lli< f'te<.'t«> of the C'.>v:nim fiitvuitltin lire overvwhere visible. 1 " ' "The. pr|ne» tri'tes ;> phllo^ophl'vi) view nf th*^ cxtr^vnpuht tnle.s ji'jou l . him clrr-til-ited In Amerlen <I))rinp: tlv; war. For .example, the stories nt WHOLES A T,l-^ BrnGI.ARiKS IN FRANC K. He collects such fables with li'itnorou« interefnt. nm\ v/.th nppn re-it lv doi lighted with sevornl I contribiitpd j from tho archives of tho Creel Proa? I Bureau. ! " 'Such nonncriHlcal HhelH.' he «ald '<\o not annoy me hnlf an much a* their authors probably think. Abuse of that *ort j?oe» wHh tho trrule I was born to. If Germany hnd won ,n sweeplner victory. I'll have , J»ot n» frown Prlnr^ fnr more than my Khar" nf th« fjlory ;jn«l » t»r>l 4 iti!!e. In <lef<":it I rr^t. ncrhii'iv. r/itHer more Ovin a f.ih 1 sh.'if" of t lie bl:utit' and cxf%-rn-Uod. boib at home- and abrontl. bit

such are the fortunes ;of war for commanding officers. I "doubt that, any sane American seriously believes today, that I was guilty of the fantastic crimes laid to me Qiirihg the war.'"