Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-04-07
INSIDE STORY
ON ABDICATION
OF KAISER TOLD
Show Aides Lost Hope
of Fighting to Save
His Throne.

Berling, Saturday, April 5.-CBy
the Associated Press while ad-
mitting there was difference of
opinion among German generals as
TO the practicability of fighting TO
maintain the imperial fegime in No
vember, Count Schulenber, com
mander of a guards regiment nam
talns in an article on the abdicatIon
of Emperor William published in
the Freiheit that there were enough
loyal troops to have marched on
Aix-la-Chapelle and Cologne and
put down the revolution. The count
says that Field Marshal Won Hind
enburg and General Groener would
not assume the responsibility for
such a move however, arguing that
things had gone too far and that
only abdication of Emperor William
could save the situation. The en-
peror. he says. was emphatical in
declaring he did not desire a civil
war, and he would not call upon the
army to engage in such conflict.
Driven by Rush of Events.
Internal conditions becoming
worse, William at length agreed TO
Count Schulenberg' advice, to ABB
dicate as emperor but not as king
of Prussia. Field Marshal Won Hind
enburg endorsed the course but in
the opinion of General Groener it
was too late, although il might
have saved the situation two weeks
earlier. In the meantime there came
rumors from Berlin of the immin-
ence of civil war and street fighting
was actually begun there. Finally
the imperial chancellor telegraphed
that civil war might break out al
any woment. II the abdication was
not announced al once.
Hurried conferences were held by
the emperor, the crown prince and
the leading generals. the article
says. One of the commanders as
serted there was a feeling among
the generals that the entire army
could not be depended upon in case
of civil war To this Count Schulen-
berg says he replied
NO soldier would break his oath
to the colors."
THE oath to the colors and the
supreme war lord is only an idea, 3"
was the rejoiner of General Groen-
er.
Chancellor Beats Kaiser To II.
At this moment Admiral Won
HintZe, the foreign minister. center
ed with a menacing message from
Berlin and rendered his resignation.
William then consented to abdicate
as emperor but insisted on retain
ing his office as king of Prussia.
and head of the army. The imperial
chancellor had in the meantime,
however, announced the abdication
without waiting for the emperor's
formal declaration.
Count Schulenberg says that VII
liam's flight to Holland was due TO
pressure brought to bear on him by
Field Marshal Won Hindenberg and
General GrOener.
"One-Sided," Says HindenburS.
Copenhagen. April IA state
ment by Field Marshal Won Hild-
enburg on the article written by
Count SChulenberg, circulated nv
the semi-official Wolff bureau OF
Berlin. says that the article has
'one-sided tendencies and is not
effectively correct"
"It contains material errors and
inaccuracies regarding the views
and utterances of the persons con
cerned." the statement adds, "and
proves that Schulenberg was not
adequately informed on the real
situation"
The field marshal disclaims any
intention of engaging in a newspa-
per controversy as the event has
been recorded officially in the re-
ports of the supreme army com
mand