The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-25
lRY KARL h. Won WIEGAND.


| Wieringen, July 17.--(Delayed.)---
Copyright, New York Sun.)--With
the public interest of the world TO-
cused on the coming struggle be-
tween little Holland and the power
full allies over the question of giving
up the former kaiser and the former
crown prince of Germany for trial
by their enemies, young Friedrich
Wilhelm, in semi exile on his dreary
isle, processes to be awaiting devel-
opments philosophically.
His health is good and he is in
better spirits than when l saw him
three months ago and spent three
hours with him. He keeps himself
occupied with brisk exercise, study
ing music, playing the violin, sketch
ing, reading and writing, but music
seems to be his chief delight. When
the weather on the windswept, fog
bound, rainy island permits he takes
run around the place on his mo-
torcycle.
"Flee?" he asked. "You see / am
still here. Where should l fee to?
Why should ] fee? These stories
are on par with many other news
paper tales about me. have been
hllleu Iope'i1SuiS' h"'o
suicide even my funeral has been
seen. Now I have fed several times.
Says He Can Leave Any Time.
"Truly, the public must be very
credulous about me. If that keeps
up I'll begin to think that really !
am O. wonderful man, something l
have never taken myself to be-"
The former crown prince declared
that the word "hee" could hardly ap-
ply because + am at liberty to leave
Holland at any time l choose to do
so. Why, then, should l fiee?"
That statement was corroborated
by Burgomaster Peerkboom, who has
Immediate charge of the former kali
ser's son. He said: The former
crown prince can leave at any time
he desires. All he has to do Is to
notify me of that intention" This
was confirmed 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 al
lies, but while they are in Holland
they must remain in the places as
signed to them"
The former crown prince Is less
WOTTlGu dDOul ITO CAAA pNAi'ANAA
| when | saw him last. In fact, !
gained the impression that he would
not hesitate to give himself up under
certain conditions if he could con-
vince himself that he would get q
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 1t is bitterly unfair, not to men
ton doing violence to the most fun
damental principles of law and JUS
tice, to place any man on trial be-
fore q court which has power only
to convict, not to acquit.
Doesn't Fear "Fair" Trial.
The view is expressed in some of
the highest Dutch circles that the
| tribunal of the allies would be a
wholly political 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, be-
cause that would knock out com
pletely the entire foundation upon
which the peace treaty is built and
| justified"
The former crown prince expressed
i INC SdIIld NltNSs ilN GthAb' 80
nothing to fear in a fair, upright
tribunal. but no man wants to GO
| UP against court made up of his
accusers, who already have pre-
| Judged him guilty, regardless of any
| evidence that may be produced, OF
could be produced If permitted, and
who for political reasons regarded
| as weightier than the rights or the
| fate of an individual cannot acquit
In this case such a court has not
| even jurisdiction in recognized law,
| In no official. commercial, public
| or private circles at The Hague, oil
in the newspaper Offices, is anything
heard but the firmest determination
that Holland must not yield to the
demand for the surrender OF the for.
mer kaiser and his son. In severa
quarters I was told of numerous let
ters with indirect intimations re-
ceived from high persons in England
expressing the hope that HOLLAND
would refuse the demand of the al
lies.
On the other hand, the queen o
Holland and the government arr
much embarrassed by a deluge o.
letters, kilograms and petitions pour
ing in from Germany pleading agains
I NlNlHS up the AOli iNl hdiSNis ~!
come from individuals, from officers
associations, veterans unions, church
synods and from every CONCEIVABLE
association and organization. One o
these petitions bears 100000 sigma
lures.
Believe In Fairness OF United States
II is one of the most singular phe
nomena in Germany that although
the Germans realize II was the United
States which gave Germany he
deathblow in the war. and although
President Wilson generally is accused
Of ''betraying Germany" in the peac
negotiations, Germans, high and low
..nrAlr,,n q ha,.n an nlrnnst child