Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-25
WILLIAM NOT SCARED.
Former German Crown Prince Would
Like to be American Financial King.

l.
Former German Crown Prince Would
Like to be American Financial King.
With-the public interest Of the world
focused on the coming struggle be-
tween little Holland and the powerful
Allies over the question Of giving Up
the former kaiser and the former
crown prince Of Germany for trial pS
their enemies, young Frederick VIII
helm, in semi-exile on his dreary Isle,
processes to be awaiting developments
philosophically D
His health is good and he Is IN
better spirits than when l saw him
three months ago and spent three
hours with him, says Karl H. vonWl-
gand, staff correspondent Of the New
York Sun writing from Wierngand.
Holland. He keeps himself occupied
with brisk exercise, studying music,
playing the violin. sketching, reading
and writing, but music seems to be his
chief delight. When the weather on
the windswept, fogbound, rainy island
permits he takes a run around the
place on his motorcycle.
"Flee?" he asked. "You see l am
still here. Where should fee to3
Why should l fee? These stories are
on a par with many other newspaper
tales about me. 1 have been killed re-,
peatedly, have committed suicide, even
my funeral has been seen. Now L
have fled several times.
Truly the public must be very
credulous about me. If that keeps up
I'll begin to think that really l am a
wonderful man, something 1 have never
taken myself to be-"
The former crown prince declared
that the word flee" could hardly ap-
ply because l am at liberty to1aeaye,
Holland at any time choose to do So.
Why then should flee?"
That statement was corroborated by
Burgomaster Peerkboom, who has i'm
mediate charge of the former kaiser's
son. He said: 1.-THE former crown
prince can leave at any time he de-
sires. All he has to do is to notify me
of that intention" This was confirm
ed also at the Hague, where a high
official declared:
Both the kaiser and his son are at
liberty to leave Holland whenever they
desire. They are not prisoners nor are
we holding them for the Allies, but
while they are in Holland they must
remain in the places assigned to
them"
The former crown prince Is less
worried about his eXtradition than
when I saw him last. In fact gained
the impression that he would not hesi-
tate to give himself up under certain
conditions II he could convince himself
that he would get square DEAL OF
which he Is doubtful.
With regard to his father the prince
reflects the views heard also In high
official circles in Holland that it is bit
terly unfair, not to mention doing vio-
lence to the most fundamental prin-
ciples Of law and justice, to place any
man on trial before a court which has
power only TO convict, not to acquit.
The view is expressed in some Of the
highest Dutch circles that the tribunal
Of the Allies would be a wholly politi-
cal instrument and that even II the
evidence established that the former
kaiser and the former crown prince
were not guilty Of the charges they
could not be declared not guilty for
political reasons, because that would
knock out completely the entire foun-
dation upon which the peace treaty is
built and justified"
The former crown prince, expressed
the same views. He said: II have
nothing to fear in a fair, upright tri-
bunal, but no man wants to go up
against a court made up Of his ac-
cusers, who already have prejudged
him guilty, regardless Of any evidence
that may be produced, or could be pro-
duced if permitted, and who for poll
tical reasons regarded as weightier
than the rights or the fate Of an in
dividual cannot acquit. In this case
such a court has not evan jurisdiction
in recognized law"
In no official, commercial, public or
private circles at the Hague, or in the
newspaper offices, is anything heard
but the firmest determination that
Holland must not yield on the demand
for the surrender Of the former kaiser
and his son. In several quarters l was
told Of numerous letters with indirect
intimations received from high persons
in England expressing the hope that
Holland would refuse the demand OF
the Allies.
On the other hand the queen Of Hoi-
land and the government are much
embarrassed by q deluge Of letters,
kilograms and petitions pouring In
from Germany pleading against giving
up the former kaiser. They come frCin
individuals, from officers associations.
veteran unions, church synods and
from every conceivable association and
organization. One of these petitions
bears 100000 signatures.
Twelve hundred sacks Of mail for
tho fret IN no sopt m that