The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-11
Must Do Something and
Certain to Get Into
More Trouble.
MAY A DIG A T E.
Crown Prince, Opposed
AS His Successor,
May Spring Coup
dEtat.

AIuslcTualu, Ocl. ~. ne
German empire is shaking to
its foundations under the sue
cessive shocks Of the defeats in
the west and the internal poll
teal storm Embossed by the
peace offer.
Twill the kaiser abdicatc 7"
i the question # he hour both
inside and outside the empires
borders, Reports persisted all
day that he already had done
SO, bnt there was no confirma-
ton.
Within the next forty eight
hours. however. Wilhelm Ii
will be faced bv the fateful de-
eision Of his life in which he
must choose one Of three
courses:
|. Abdicate.
}. Abolish paragraph two
Of the imperial constitution,
and thereby sign away his anto-
cratic power of making war
and peace. This. with other in
ctitable concessions, will re-
duce him to a figure head, a
shadow emperor.
;. Defy President Wilson
and the world by summoning
his armed forces to a fight 10
the last ditch. Thus he would
court internal revolt.
Williams mere ahdioation, accord
Ing TO best diplomatic opinion here.
viii not suffice. The question of ques-
ttons is: who will succeed him?
Eunor today had it that not The
crown prince, hut Prince August Will
helm. was slated to take the crown
If the kaiser renowned IL While this
tcstifes to Berlin's realization that the
worlds hatred and contempt for tho
heir presurl ptive In little less intense
than that felt for his father. IL is
felt here that nothing short Of the
complete remuneration Of the crown
autocratic powers will suffice to con-
vince the world a new order Of things
is to he mharked upon.
Nor is II entirely unlikely that the
new majority bloc, especially the So
cialists. once the kaiser is out OF the
way, will make clean sweep of mon
archy and insist upon the creation
OF the republic
Prince Max In suggested as the log
zeal provisional president" OF such
republic Of Germany" should this
revolutionary change he made. how
ever. before peace--or at least an
armissice--has been actually declared,
a complete breakdown of the Ger
man army and navy is regarded the
inevitable immediate consequence, The
kaiser Is the war lord" Cob srster
krieEsherr) to whom alone the sol
diers and sailors OF Germany have
sworn allegiance
Sectional Strife Likely.
For the proud Prussian army. cspo-
cialiy the guards AMI the officers and
commanders. TO transfer that allie
glance overnight to prince of Ra-
den would he too bitter a pill for
them to swallow. Sectional strife
would fiare to full fame once more.
The troops and commanders and dy-
rasties Of the Kingdoms of Saxony.
Bavaria and Wuertteuaburg, already
chatting under the unprecedented an
thority bestowed upon Max. the throne
heir OF the mere grand duchy" of
Baden. would inevitably bolt
Altogether. a transform tio- of the
empire into a republic. involving as
IL also does. abolition OF the other
federated crowns. reducing them to
mere states" is believed too volcanic
to be brought about by arything short
OF repetition of the Russian revo-
luton.
Thus, constitutional amendments
effecting a transference Of the kaiser's
powers to the reichstag and bundles
rat, and possibly the abdication of
the emperor in favor of August will
helm. is regarded here as more
likely developn emit.
Whether the crown prince would
quietly resign himself to such fate
Is another important question II he
Is still the leader, or one of the chief
tains, of the military party. an at
tempt at a coup d'etat would surprise
no one.
History Makes Strides.
Meanwhile, history Is believed TO he
making strides with seven League
boots in the empire. All indications
are that, irrespective of what drass-
tice changes. ii any. may occur. the
Berlin government Is bert upon hang
ing on to the thread Of peace possi-
bility offered by the interchange OF
notes.
Even before President Wilson's note
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