The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-24

In response to hint that he might
be willing to face a jury on which
Americans were sitting, or a high
class neutral jury, he would not COM
nit himself.
His present plan obviously is to sit
tight on Wieringen as long as the
Dutch will let him.
l asked if as an informed German
officer he was not free to go back TO
Germany.
Free enough" he answered, "but it
would not do me any good. Ger
many would give me up quick enough
to the French. The present Govern
lnent was in such a kowtowing, boot
licking frame of mind that they would
readily fulfill any demand made On
them by the Entente, including the
demand for my head, or my person.
eff I were alone and nobody else
was concerned [ could tell a whole
lot of things. But | must be loyal to
my father, mustn't [? At heart
still feel like Prussian officer and
regard my father as my Highest
War Lord D
The ex-Prince asserted that he had
no hand or voice in starting the war
He had been continuously squelched
not allowed to have anything to say
in the Imperial councils, and he had
been repeatedly told to mind his own
business.
When I asked how he explained the
worlds opinion that he was one OF
the principal moving figures in pre-
cipitating the war, he answered.:
Because I was always in favor OF
a strong Army. King Edwards elm
kreisungspclitik' was the real be-
ginning of the war. He told me not
once, but several times, that Britain
couldn't put up with Germany's ire
mendous economic and commercial
development and that he intended te
isolate Germany and squeeze Ger
many hard.
sKing Edward didn't like my faith
er, but for some reason he liked me
very much. He used to call me evil
lie, dear and talked freely and frank
ly to me,
81 was at the seashore with
my family, playing tennis, flirting
and indulgirg in the other usual Sum
nler pastimes when the news of the
murder of the Archduke Francis Fer
dinand came. I knew at once that
that meant world war. Unlike many
others, I knew that England would
come in. I knew the British charac-
ter too we'll to misjudge them.
CATER the first battle of the Marine
I steadfastly worked for peace, but
was baked by military clique.
"Ludendorff was the driving pow
er of the war and, as such, principally
responsible for its prolongation.
Before cur great offensive reacted
IN March [ knew we could not win
And my Ravarian cousin prince
Rupprecht) held the identical views
that 1 did.
"The highest leadership closed its
eyes and ears to everything unpleas-
ant and believed only what it wanted
to believe. The highest leadership
went badly wrong about America, for
instance. 1t refused to believe that
there was g. large American force in
France, and pooh-poohed every report
to that effect.
Before our offensive at Rheims in
July reported to great headquarters,
on the basis Of the reports of the in
telligence officers of my army group,
that there were 40 American divisions
in France. Great headquarters sent
back the answer to me:
Nonsense. Impossible. There
are only IA American divisions in
France, and five of those are no good
and can't fight
"In the same way the highest lead
ership closed its eyes to the truth
about our own troops. 1t wouldn't
listen when l reported that my divi-
sions were worn out, tired, used up,
cut up, must be drawn out of the line.
At great headquarters they didn't
want to know the truth. Some of my
divisions were reduced to 900 and 800
rifles. Think of that! And was or