New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-12

II ended the two men agreed not 10
meet again at least during the war.
Authority Taken from Prince
The Kaiser recalled his intimate
friends who had been working with the
Crown Prince, including Field Marshal
Won llaeseler. The Crown Prince was
left in command Of the operations at
Nerdun. but all authority was taken
away from him. and the General staff
stopped its plans of attack.
For several months nothing was
heard about the Crown Prince. His
name was not mentioned in the Ger
man newspapers. and IL was not until
the Battle OF the Somme was several
months old that the Kaiser again rec
ognized his first son. Friends of the
young prince had been working with
his majesty in an attempt TO heal the
soreness which the battle OF Nerdun
produced. and the Kaiser finally dec
GRATED him with the oak leaves OF the
highest military decoration. the Pour
lie Merite.
This decoration when It IS first gwen
is nothing but cross OF gold ana
purple enamel. with the French words
Pour le Merite" printed on three arms
Of the cross. After an officer has held
this decoration for several months and
further distinguished himself. then a
little gold oak leaf is attached TO the
top of it. and II is worn about the
neck on n black and white ribbon. The
comforting of this honor on the crown
Prince was believed to have paved the
way for the reconciliation between
father and son, which came last winter
Jealousy Between Father and Son
During the war there has been some
jealousy between the two men. The
Crown Prince is exceedingly ambitious
TO succeed his father. The kalSef
knows this, and because the Crown
Prince has such definite ideas OF ms
own about running the country Will
lam II is not anxious 10 give MN
chance. at least during the war;
Just what type OF officials VIII take
Office when the Kaiser dies and the
Crown Prince succeeds nm IN case
Germany is not made republic -
not definitely known IN "ermahy'
There is only one official IN office to-
dav who is spoken Of as "the Grown
Princes man" and that is Secretary
of State zimmerman. II the crown
Prince relies upon such men the world
tration will be when it remembers that
Herr Zimmermann's capacity as a For
eign Minister was typlcaHy illustrated
by IN territorial promises to Mexico.
But Zimmerman is ambitious TO be
Chancellor. and it would not be sur
prising, if the Kaiser were TO die and
the Crown Prince succeed him. to see
zimmerman succeed Won Bethmann-
Hollweg. The exposure of Zlmmer-
mann's efforts to arouse Mexico Will
probably do more TO damage his career
than anything else.
When rumors spread in Germany
that the Crown Prince had lost the
battle Of Verdun the General staff
FASTENED 70 explain in "A series OF ar
tices which all newspapers had TO
print that the battle was tactical
success. inasmuch as it destroyed this
point as an offensive position for the
French.
Aided by Won Steuben
Assisting the Crown Prince in the
operations on this battlefield was Gen
eral Won Steuben, grandson Of the
Prussian hero i'm our Revolutionary
war. and the man whom the Kaiser
sent 10 this country in the sos when
the Won Steuben statue in Washington
was unveiled.
If the Kaiser were to die the world
would probably see the people rally to
The support of the Crown Prince. and
il would be interesting TO see what
changes this young potential ruler
might make. With the growth OF de-
mocracy in Germany during the war;
it is probable the Socialists would or
ganize demonstrations against him, but,
because of the present unbroken power
Of the General staff and the army, they
would not succeed. The Grown Prince
will be the next Emperor of Germany
unless the United States and the Allies
car defeat German militarism on the
battlefelds and discredit German army
leadership before the German people
themselves.