Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-30
(Contiuued.)

Foreign Secretary declared that the
employment of ruthless submarine
warfare now promises to compel
England to make peace in a fe"
months" 1 realized how high in the
councils of the nation this opium
istic Prince was, but whether ne
got his optimism from the Kaiser or
impaired some of his own to that
arrogant monarch, l don't know. II
was quite evident, though that
they were of the same mind on most
of the questions of the day, ana the
interesting part about II was tnat
they were both almost inVariaoly
wrong!
From the beginning of 1915 until
about the middle of 1917 the great
army headquarters was located IN
the Princes palace at Pless, ana
during most of that period he was
there. too. Naturally he came IN
contact with the Kaiser and was OF
the high command. and l felt that
at this time anything he said was
merely an echo of what he hau
heard in the army councils.
After the Kaiser issued his first
peace note, which, because OF lts
obvious purpose was summary
turned down by the Allies, Won Pless
called to see me. and our converse
tion naturally drifted to that deVel-
opment.
"Of course. they refused it" he
declared, in the most satisfied man
ner. I'VE KNEW they would re-
fuse it. We WANTED them to re-
fuse it. If they hadn't refused IT,
we would have made our terms SO
harsh that they would have had 10
refuse it. But it accomplished its
purpose just the same; il got the
French and English into hot water
trying to explain TO their people
why they didn't make peace when
Germany was willing to do so. In
this way. we may be able to split the
Allies Russia is going to quit any
way. There's going TO be reVolu-
tion and we'll be able to throw all
our forces on the western front ana
crush the enemy there
Il always liked England" he add
ed. but Lloyd George is running
that country and now he'll certainly
have his hands full explaining why
he doesn't make peace"
Shortly afterwards the Kaiser
came TO me and said practically the
same thing. We've got the English
SAlLu TIE L CI4N4I SONSA 4AAA4SAANS 80
nice predicament," he said, trying
TO explain TO their people why they
don't make peace" He laughed hi
lariously as he added. They're wild
with rage at us for surprising them
in this way" The Socialist meeting
which followed at Stockholm was
what Germany wanted, but the allied
governments were clever enough TO
sse the ruse and prevented the dele
sates from leaving their respective
countries
Prince Won Pless readily admitted
that his prediction in that regard
had been wrong, but he was never
theless bold enough to venture an
other one: We didn't think Amer
Ca would do it, l admit" he de-
clared, with all his old optimism,
but anyway, America won't fight.
She had TO go into this war to pro-
tect her honor, and she will avail
herself OF the opportunity, perhaps.
to raise an army for use eventually
against Japan, but she won't fight,in
Europe-you may depend on that.
She hasn't the boats to carry the
men, and boats can't be built over
night, you know"
Since then, of course, the Prince
has been shown again how unrelia-
BILE his representations seem to be.
but fortunately l am not on hand
to crow over him. The day I left
Berlin, I received a telegram from
him asking me to reserve time for
him on January 24-two days later
when no doubt I would have heard
some additional prophecies.
Referring to the Princes optimism
reminds me of an epigram that be-
came current in Berlin during the
war and which may not, perhaps.
have made its way across: The Ber-
liners are optimistic and gloomy;
the Viennese are pessimtstic and
Eay."
There was one point upon which
the Prince Won Pless was more hon
est in his statements than the
Kaiser. l refer to the Kaiser S
complaints against America for sup
plying munitions and money to the
Allies.
We haven't a leg to stand on"
he frankly admitted when we dis
Cussed that question. Why. in the
last twenty years we have supplied
more munitions to warning nations
than any other four countries in
the world put together!"
Despite his overweening conf
dence, which at times approached
DFaSgdOOClO, the PFlnce was sports
man enough TO admit his miscalcu-
!ations, and while he was German
through and through. in his convic-
tions that might makes right and
that Deutschland ueber allies" was
most worthy sentiment, he had
much in him that distinguished him
from the rest of his kind.
l complained to him on one occa-
sion of the manner in which the
royal family played havoc with my
practice by upsetting the routine OF
the day, sometimes without much
previous notice.
Davis" he said. you are foolish
to tolerate 1t. It's all right. OF
course, to accommodate the Kaiser
and the Kaiserin, and the Crown
Prince and the Crown Princess are
perhaps entitled TO similar consid.
Grafton, but as far as the other
princes and the nobility are con-
cerned. If I were you l certainly
wouldn't allow it. They may object
terribly at first. but they will soon
fall into line!"
That was about as democratic O
viewpoint as I had ever heard from
a German prince. He was a nice
fellow but poor guesser, and must
have proven a poor adviser on dip.
lomatic questions for the Kaiser.
Despite the fact that the Prince
was so thoroughly trusted by the
Kaiser. the Princess was the subject
OF the most alarming rumors which
because of her English birth and as
sociations, We're not difficult tc
spread. It was remembered that