The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-04

ception they declared the army was
in such shape that 1t wanted only to
quit and get home. The situation
was pictured to the kaiser as one OF
desperation, with food and supplies
low, with a crack in the lines coming
any time-in a word, that Germany
was militarily beaten and in no shape
to carry on. The kaiser's hand was
finally forced after Prince Max, of
Baden, without permission, gave out
to the Wolff official news agency a
statement that Wilhelm had abdi-
Gated. The kaiser was willing to re-
nounce the title of kaiser, but not
king of Prussia. He was finally per.
suaded to leave, though not until he
had had several changes OF heart
and until his generals had told him
that they could not guarantee his
safety If he did not take an immedi-
ate departure for Holland
The pan-German journals produced
the outline just at the time when the
pan-German group in the assembly
was seeking to unseat Erzberger and
embarrass the government. The OBJ
ject of their disclosures, perhaps, was
to strengthen the position OF the
kaiser with the people, and thereby
to support the Deutsch national party
in Weimar, by picturing him as seek.
ing only the veal of the fatherland
up to the last minute of his rule.
It was ON the first OF November,
in the great headquarters at Spa,
that the subject of abdication was
first preached to the kaiser, who
promptly rejected the idea. On the
9Th and 9th, General Groener was in
Berlin, where he gained the impress
sion that the abdication of both the
kaiser and the crown prince could
hardly be postponed any longer with
safety, but felt as an officer he ought
not to breach the matter further,
since the kaiser had once refused.
On the 9Th, the kaiser conceived the
notion of leading an army against
the revolters.
On the same day, Hindenburg,
Groener and General Plesse conferred
at Spa. Plesse, who was close to the
kaiser, was a dissenter from the
whole scheme, but the discussion de-
veloped that the movement inside
Germany was desperate, that the sup
plies and food for the troops were
III oliiy O. lCW Noyo oAAN
that transport of other material was
already being hindered at important
junction points, including Cologne.
The group agreed that sufficient
reliable troops for march against
the reyolutionists were not to be had
So the following morning the
whole proposal was presented 10 the
kaiser. Plesse and General Schulen
burg dissented Hindenburg and
Groener said that the fact that the
troops had fought well in the spring
was no proof that they could longer
be depended on. and that chaos was
unavoidable If the abdication did not
come Immediately.
The kaiser still stuck with Plesse
and Schulenberg, but consented to ar
armistice, saying he would lead his
army in peace back home. He was
told this would not suffice-that the
must quit cold" The crown prince
offered to take up the leadership, but
: apparently was not trusted for this
task. Then came the canvass Of of
ficers, who even more than evel
showed that abdication was neces
sity. Communication with the chan
cellory in Berlin showed the streets
already were flowing in blood.
Abdication, the kaiser was IN
| formed, was not question OF hours
but OF minutes.
J While the negotiations We're pro