The Washington herald., 1918-07-10
RESIGNATION OF
KUEHLMANN
ACCEPTED
Foreign Minister'S Retire
ment, Berlin Dispatches
! Say.
FIRST NON-PRUSSIAN
8 FOREIGN MINISTER
Resigning Bavarian S Policy
Opposed to Principles
Of Junkerism.
SEVERAL ARE MENTIONED
AS POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS
/ Albert E. BALM. Bernstorf and
Admiral Won Pintze Suggested
- for Foreign Portfolio.
SEVERAL ARE MENTIONED
2 AS POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS

1t London, july o.-lne reslgna-
ttion of DIR. Richard Won Kuehl-
ipann, the German foreign min
lister, was confirmed in Berlin ad-
vices today. The Kaiser, accord
ing to an Exchange Telegraph
dispatch from Copenhagen, has ac-
cepted Won Keuhlmann's resigna-
ton.
With Won kuehlmann passes
the first non-Prussian minister of
.loreign affairs Germany has ever
had, the retiring secretary being,
Z. like Chancellor Won Hertling, a
s,Bavarian. There is every indica-
ton that the militarist junta at
Berlin will bend might and main
to see to it that kuehlmann is
the last non-Prussian in the high
est office in the imperial chancel-
lor's giving.
Hated sword RattlIng.
From the moment he assumed his
lInpeEldl OLuCS Vol huenlTndnn view
and policies were diametrically op-
posed to the eatechism Of junkerdom.
Like his ill-starred Austrian ex-
colleague. Count Czernin. he was for
a peace BY understanding. He hates
sword rattling at the green table and
h gave vent to his hate more thasr
once when Gen. Hoffman ragged at
Brest-LItovsk
Only few in London recalled-be-
cause only few knew-the role Won
kuehlmann played IN the fateful
days preceding the outbreak of the
war. He was then counsellor of the
German embassy here under Prince
Llchnowsky. The two worked hand
in glove for peace. Their efforts to
stave of IL not prevent the holocaust,
were to those who knew the will of
the war at Berlin and Vienna, almost
pathetic.
1t was on the evening OF August 4,
few hours before Germany's declara-
ton of war, that DR.. Won KuehImann
took an extraordinary step; he voiced
through the medium of the London
press an, ardent appeal to the people
of Great Britain to remain neutral.
More than that, he caused to be
printed post-haste a similar appeal in
leaflets and had them posted on the
four walls of the embassy. II was an
almost comical. a frantic act, but to
understand it one must recall the ter
rible gravity of the situation, the
desperately tense atmosphere in those
historic hours.
Lichnowsky Praised Him.
Liehnowsky made laudatory me1-
tion Of Kuehlmann in the now IA
nous memoirs. That didn't help the
foreign minister with the milita:ists.
who had been done" with him ever
since Brest-Litovsk. And they cried
Hang the traitor when they saw
the LIchnowsky memorandum.
The wonder Of all Europe has been
the fact that this soft-spoken diplo-
matist Of the liberal school, this eul-
tured scholar who loves Byron and
Tennyson as much as he does Goethe
and Schiller, and who writes sonuets
and art criticism in his leisure hours
that this man was able to maintain
himself as long as he did in the rnidst
OF n military regime that became
daily more powerful, until. not many
weeks ago. IL crowded every vesti3e
Of diplomatic influence OF the stage.
II was then that in the Reichstag
Kuehlmann pronounced the de nth
verdict to his career as pilot of Ger
m.any's foreign affaii Shy openly 3D.
Tnltting that purely military Geci-
sions" could not be expected to bring
an end to this war. To be sure, he
was compelled to crawl" but the
damage was done, and from that mo-
ment his scalp was doomed. His
resignation now comes as doubly con-
vincing proof that the militarists sIe
in absolute control.
BaIIin Suggested.
1t Is from that angle that all specu-
lation concerning Kuehlmann's sue
cessor must be guided. The name Of
Albert Z. BaIlin Is recurring in ad-
vices via Amsterdam and Copenhagen
The head of what Is left of the Ham,
burg-American line and director gen.
eraI of the German railroads, has
powerful factors in his favor. First
Of all. he is a friend and trusted ad-
wiser Of the Emperor. Then, he COM
mands-through his dominating posi-
tion in the world of commerce, trade
and finance-an influence equalled by
few in the empire, coupled with high
prestige abroad.
But three things count against Bal
Nm and they are so strong that politi-
cal observers here tonight wagered
neat sums against his appointment.
These are:
/. He Is q Jew; In itself q cardinal
ground for condemnation at the hands
Of the thoroughly anti-semitic militar-
lists. Oernberg tried 1t once. He got
as far as colonial minister and then
fell with q crash.)
: Q He is not q trained diplomat and
Il would be an unheard of revolu-
tionary thing for the Germans to send
a "non-expert'' to the foreign min
istry. The aversion against such a
policy Is too deep-rooted-moreove II
smacks OF democracy.
. ., He IS sure to be rejected by the
militarists for the very nature of
his IDEAS and ideals. all of which
center around trade. and therefore,
peace.
> The name Of Count Johann Helm
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE. J