Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-04
NO IRRIGATION
 Uf SUCCESSION
 FOR FREDERICK
Grown Prince Maintains His Claim of Succession to Prussian Throne-N Never Desired War.
By Associated Press.

Osterland, Holland, Dec. 3.-'I have
 not renounced anything, and 1 have
 not signed any document whatever"
 Frederick William Hohcnzollern
 who still claims the title of Grown
 Prince of Germany, thus answered the question of the Associated Press
 in the course of a lengthy conversa- tion today, which took place in the small cottage of the village pastor on the Island of Wieringen, where he is 1 interned.
 However" he continued, should ] the German government decide to form republic similar to the United States, or France, I shall be perfect ] Iv content to return to Germany as 9 simple citizen ready to do anything 1 be happy to work as laborer in a factory.
 At present everything appears in chaos in Germany, but hope things will right themselves
 Asked what. in his opinion, was the turning poin of the war, he said: Il was convinced early in October, 1914, that we had lost the war. I considered our position hopeless after the battle of the Marne, which we should not have lost if the chiefs of our general staff had not suffered a case of nerves.
 "l tried to persuade the general staff to seek peace then, even at a great sacrifice, going so far as to give up Alsace-Lorrain.e But I was told to mind my own business, and confine my activities to commanding my armies. l have proof of this" What finally brought about the downfall of the German military power, he decldared, was revolution induced by four years of hunger among the civilians and the troops in the rear, together with the over- whelming superiority in numbers at tained by the entente powers since Amcrica's entry into the war. which had undermined the confidence of the German fighting forces.
 -"My soldiers, whom l loved and
 with whom l lived continuously, and
 who. if i may say so. loved me, fought with the utmost courage to the end, even when the odds were impossible
 to withstand" the. refugee prince
 went on the explain. "They had no
 resi- and sometimes an entire divi- sion numbered only coo rifles. These
 were opposed by fresh allied troops,
 among whom were American divi- sicns containing 27.0c0 men apiece.
 Describing how he felt the front.
 Frederick William declared, "I was
 with my group of armies after the
 Kaiser left Germany. l asked the Berlin government whether they de- sired me to retain my command. They
 replied negatively, and l could not
 continue to lead armies under ord CTS of the soldiers and workers coun-
 cil.
 Therefore, l came to Holland,
 without hindrance. No shooting or
 bombing occurred and quit the
 army with the greatest regret. after
 having participated in the trench life
 with the soldiers for so long. "I have not been ill Germany for
 a. year and from the beginning ot the war l have taken only three or four leaves"
 Speaking of the beginning of the war, Frederick William asserted: AOuIIdIt lO dlI 0tulSlIiCHto IlthSA to made abroad l never desired war, and thought the moment quite inop- perfume, l was never consulted, and the report about d crown council be" ing held in Berlin to decide on the war,
 ''I was enjoying stay at water ing place when mobilization was ord cred.
 My father also. am sure, did not desire var. If Germany had sought the best opportunity for making war, she would have chosen the period either of the Boer war or the Russo Japanese war.
 Prom the beginning was cer-
 tain that England would enter the conflict This view was not shared by Prince Henry and the other mem- bers of my family.
 People have credited me with war like intentions. But l was only a soldier with a desire to sec the ar my kept thoroughly efficient, and
 worked hard to bring this about. i People blame me with the failure at | Verdun. But l refused twice to at-' ] tack there with the troops at my 1 disposal On the third occasion m! attack was successful for the first three days, but l was not property 1 supported ,.g "l thought that the Verdun attack l was a mistake. We should have at 1 tackled to the eastward of Verdull l where there would have teen great probability of success.
 1 The eX-croWn prince was rather bit ter regarding the work of the Gener' al Staff, which he asserted was re-
 sponsible for numerous mistakes, lh-
 cluding the attack in March, IBIS
 which he was ordered to make. con- trary to his own view, and was com
 relied to obey. He declared that Lu- ! dendorff was the handspring or Ger
 many's warlikc activities. while Von
 Hindenburg was mere tl8urehead
 Ludendorff and his staff were con-
 tinually under estimating the enemy
 forces, he declared and never be-
 lieyed that Americas contribution ol ] soldiers was as great as 1t actually 1 nrovod f0 he