New-York tribune., 1919-07-01
Bethma1,n-Hollweg's Delusion

ESI1Nxdl1N-I OSluSloN
Ex- Chancellor Bcthmann-H Holweg's of
fer TO stand trial for the crimes charged
against William II shows certain
medieval respect for the outworn adage
The King can do no wrong" But it
argues q perverted notion on Bcthmann
Hollweg's part not only Of his own in
fuence as Chancellor, but of the work
ings Of the German constitution.
In his time the Chancellor was not the
agent of the Rechstag. He was not the
head of a Cabinet governing in the
name Of the nation with the assent Of
the sovereign. as is the case in limited
monarchies with the parliamentary sys-
tenn. He himself rcpclled the theory that
the Chancellor was, or ought to be, re-
sponsble to anybody but his imperial
master. Under the German scheme the
true source Of power was the Kaiser,
ruling by "divine right"
Bethmann- Holweg knows this as
well as anybody else. Even had
he been a man of iron, like Bis
marck, tyrannizing over passive
Emperor like William I, he could
not lay claim to any legal or consttu-
tional responsibility for acts done by him
as the Emperors spokesman and dele
gate. Up to the day when Prince Max
of Baden, representing the military lead
CTS, began to pose as functionary with
independent authority the German
Chancellor was always the more vehicle
Of the will of the All Highest.
Everybody realizes also that Beth
mann-Hollweg was not a Bismarck He
was not even q Bilow Bulow had many
qualities which had practically become
extinct in the newer generation Of Prus-
sian diplomats and statesmen. He had
prestige and position Of his own. He was
the only living German diplomat with
sense of humor or who possessed snuoir
jdirc and charm. In the Characteristic
he Often failed to take the Emperor as
seriously as the latter expected to be
taken. He even extracted from the
Kaiser a pledge not to interfere in for
cign relations without the knowledge of
the Foreign Office
He was too broadminded to last long.
He didn't humor sufficiently William IFS
vainglory and thirst for theatrical self
advertisement. SO Bethmann-Hollwcg
succeeded hin, and thereafter held power
by yielding TO his patrons shifting
moods and caprices.
The ex-Chancellor cxalts himself un-
duly when he tries to assume "solc re-
sponsibility for the political acts of the
Emperor His responsibility is fictitious.
Al best he could be only scapegoat. He
didn't bring CT The war. The way was
decreed at the Potsdam conference of
July 5. And that decree was shaped by
the real rulers Of Germany, the Kaiser
and the military, naval and industrial
leaders whose imperialistic plans he was
promoting.
Bethmann-Hollweg was pricked by
guilty conscience when he said in the
Reichstag that the invasion of Belgium
was violation Of international law. Had
he had hand in reaching the decision
to invade Belgium it never would have
occurred to him to apologize for it. His
excited interview with the British Am
bassador when he learned that Great
Britain had served an utmatum threat
ening war unless Belgium were evacu-
ated also betrayed complete failure to
adjust his mind to the situation which
German policy had created Had he been
responsible for that policy, except as a
clerical gobetween, he would never have
poured out his wrath and disappointment
as ne did in the memorable colloquy with
Ambassador Goschen.
Bethmann-Hollweg, couldn't make war
or prevent war. 1t would be. superhuous
to try him for acts in which he figured
only in private sccretarial capacity.