TES HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 84H. 1918.
THE KAISER'S ABDICATION. BELGIUM AND THE KAISER'S
ENFORCED BY THE ARMY.
Following the recent publication by the Dentale ritung" of the letters of the Kuiser and Crown Prince in an attempt #5 justify their behaviour, Die Freiheit publishes a ecerandum by 'gunt von uf" the der Schulenburg. Commander Gardes du Corps Regiment which was written on December 7th last year. dent in much more detail with the deci- ive events leading up to the Hight of the ax-Kaiser and the Crown Prince.
FATE.
Belgium, does not want revenge, but justice,"
This presents the official view of the Belgian delegation in Paris, according to a Renter Paris message on the ques- tion of the trial of the ex-Kaiser, It' had been suggested. nothicially" that, as the Allies could come to no decision on the Kaiser's indictment. Belgium should act as prosecutor and arraigo him before the League of Nations for his crimes in that country.
In an interview with the Associated Press of Aiterica, a member of the Bel- xian delegation stated that Belgium bad. not been officially, requested by the Coun eil of Four to bring the Kaiser to trial, and that the Belgian Government would feel obliged to decline to take such an actitude even if it were requested to do se Any such action, the Belgian dele. ation holds, should be taken by a Com- mission representing all the Assoicated Powers.
**NO COMPETENT TRIBUNAL.".
Schuldberg says that he arrived at Spa on November 9th, where be found that all the Headquarters Staff were in depressed state, and seemed to have #almost lost their heads, Marshal von Hindenburg having just announced in a peech that revelation, that broken out in Germany.
When the necessity for the abdication of the Kaiser was pointed out to Count Schulenburg he rejected the iden, and said that the army was loyal to the Kaiser. He was thereupon invited to go with others to the naiser's Head- quarters, where starshal von Hindenburg,trality, or for any act preceding or coin
cident with the declaration of war. It General vun' Pleasen, General Sarschalk
is pointed out that there is no tribana!" General Groener, the' Secretary of State
canpetent to hear such charges against for Foreign Affairs Admira von Hintze,
the Kaiser, and no prevision in inter- assembled.national law covering such cases, and already and others
any Marsha von Hindenburg told the Kaiser ach action taker now would be retrone that he must tender his resignation, beaver Belgium balds that persona guilty by the criminal endes 22Y Ris King what he had to say. To of any of the this the naiser reped: We must see -first.'
wen
The official Belgian point of view is, that the Kaiser cannot be arraigned for declaring war, violating Belgian ner
cause a crussian omerr he could not.) of acts belligerents should
General Groener thereupon declared in a long speech that the position of the army was desperate, aria that Germany was in the bands of the revolution. Civil war, he said, threatened to break out at any moment in Berlin. The actu was no longer reliable. In his view, and in that of Marshal von Hindenburg, a view which was shared by his divisional chiefs and quartermaster-general, the only salvation for the Fatherland lay in the immediate abdication of the Kaiser.
His Majesty then requested Count Bcbulenburg Au give his view. The Count represented that the armies of the Crown Prince's Army Group were still firmly in the hands of their commanders. At present," he declared, in their thinned ranks, they are exhausted and over-trained, and their one desire is for an armistice and a rest. Once the armis. tier has begun, it will be extraordinarily dieult again to get the troops to fight the quefy. If, however, they can get a few days rees it will be poble for the reg mental commanders to get in
be
in the adrinary way, as the fact that crimes such as theft, rape, and murder were committed during 'n state of war does not relieve the authors of respon sibility for them.
NURSE CAVELL'S MURDERER
It is stated that all the documente would b. forthcoming if such a Commis sion as is suggested should desire to arraign:-
Von Manteuffel, for the back of Lou
"Yun Schroeder, för the murder of Capt ̧
Fryatt:
Yo Saubersweig, for the execution of
Cavell. Miss But it is emphased that Belgium does not seek revenge, but only justice.
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It would be small satisfaction Belgium to lock up the ex Kaiser for a few months in Saint Gille prison, and those who have spread the report that OUTLER, PALMER & 00.8 " ASAHI BEER such a revenge had been offered Belgin as solace for her wrongs sadly misunder Atood the Belgian character if they think that such a scheme would be acceptable.
Finally it is declared that the only ease in which the personal responsibility of the ex-Emperor criminal committed against Belgium, can be esta
hunangain and to influentie them
Fond doubts that of the atro- Cent echelenburg also said that he didities attending the deportations of civi not beurre the whole Western army lians who were carried off for forced would march into Germany to suppress labour in Cermany, and in this case the the revolution, but that he thought reli- ex Kaiser's responsibility is unquestioned. able troops. equipped with all modern "fighting material night, first be sent to Ax-la-Chapelle and Cologne to restore
General Groener, laid considerablę order there. if menossary by force of arms.
stress on his own opinion that, although Sanming up, Count Schulenburg "said
suen a decision might have saved the the Kaiser must not yield to force and situation a fortnight earlier, it was dow must nct abdicate. The Kaiser agreed to much too late. The Imperial Chancellor this view and, taking Count Schulen then telephoned that civil war was inevit- burg aside, declared that he did not able notes the Kaiser's abdication was desire to abdiente, and that Aix-la-announced within the next few minhtes. Chapell and Cologne must first immed Jantely be recovered with the help of hosen commanders and specially good
troops.
Marshal Hindenburg, General Groener, and Admiral Hintae then went into the garden to make" their report to the A long discussion followed, in which Kaizer. Count Schulenburg himself General Groener again and again de received the Crown Prince, whe bad hur- clared that events had already gone so ried to the scene, and asked him to per- far that it was too late for such sunde the Kaiser not to act with undua solves.
KAISER'S DEMAND.
No
haste. The Crown Prince had a short conversation with his father, after which Colonel Heye made his report Colonel The Kaiser then asked General Groener how be had come to this view regarding manders suid that the army could not be Heye declared that all the army, com- the feeling of the army. Schalenburg, he counted upon in the event of civil war. said, had given him an entirely contrary Count Schulenburg interjected:
To which the General soldier would break his oath to the impression. plied that I was of another opinion colours, to which General Groener re- The Kaiser thereupon said, very sharply: plied. The oath to the colours and the I desire from Marshal von Hindenburg Supreme War Lord are only an idea." and yourself the report, in black and
Admiral mintze then came in, with a white, but only when you have acer telephone message that the situation in tained the views of all the commanders Berlin was extremely menacing. He him in-chief. The Kaiser emphatically de-self must resign, he said, and the meaar. elazed that in no eircumstances did he want civil war, and that he would never shy could not be saved any longer if the emand this of the army. He had caly The Kaiser then gave instructions that
Kaiser did not abdiente immediately. one wish, he said, namely to take the army back home, united and in solid the Imperial Chancellor should be in order. General Greener replied: The Emperor, but would remain as King of formed that he would abdicäte sa German army will march back home unitedly Prussia, and not leave the army. At this under its leaders and commanding♫ generals, but not under the leadership moment the chief of the Imperial Chan
cellery, Wahnschace, telephoned that the
NAPIER
of your Majesty." Count Schulenburg declaration of the Kaiser's abdication again contradicted this view.
must be in Berlin within the next few. Marshal von Hindenburg then spoke minutes. In the afternoon, therefore, the again, saying that while every Prussian Kaiser's abdication as German Emperor officer must doubtless hold the views ex-
was telephoned by Admiral Hintza to bressed by Count Schulenburg, neverthe Berlin. At 8.10 p.m. the declaration of less, all the reports from the homeland abdication, as circulated by the Wolff and the army made abdication an un avoidable necessity. Both he and General Bureau, arrived in Berlin. The Im Groener could no longer undertake the perial Chancellor had, however, already issued the decree, without awaiting responsibility for the reliability of the army. The Kaiser then closed the dis receipt of the Kaiser's formal declaza cussion with the words: You must ask The Kaiser, all my commanders-in-chief about the feeling in the army. If they report to ine that the army is no longer loyal to my per
then I am ready to go, but
not
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according to Count Schulenburg, received the news with deep motion but perfect kingly dignity, Count Schulenburg making a statement regarding the loyalty of the army, the Kaiser said he was King of Prussia, and While the discussion was taking place would remain so, and would not leave the telephone message from the Imperint Chancellery were continually arrivitated to Count Schulenburg:
army When saving "Good-bye
"I will concerning the gravity of the situation remain with the army," but at the con- in Berlin and demanding, the immed ference which immediately followed Hin- ate: abdication of the Kaiser. The last denburg and Gateral Groetter. declared of these communications reported strect that the Kaiser must leave headquarters fighting in Berlin.
nad go to Holland, because, they could Thelo declarations made the deepest not guarantee his safety even for another impression on the Kaiser; who was a night, and Admiral von Hintzo.was in- parently resolved to sacrifice his person structed by the Foreign Office of Berlin in order to avoid civil war. Count
to take the necessary étape for the Kaiser's Schulenburg then told him that it could departure to Holland. Count Schulen- at the most be a matter of his abdication burg therefore attributes the Kaiser'n sa German Kaiser and not as King of journey to Holland to the pressure Prussia. The Kaiser agreed to his pro bropght to bear upon him by Hindenburg posals, and said that he would in all ci and General Groeners and thinks the cumstances remain King of Promin, and Kaiser's letier to the Crown Prince, in would not-loves-link army
which be praks of the collapse of the army, confirms thin.
(Continual as foût of next column.)
Cleveland, URIO, EL
[108
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