The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-04
THE BIRMINGHAM AGEHERAID SATURDAY. OCTOBER A. 1919

the. evening of the 25th that l heard of
this incident. Later the history of the
creation of this order was explained in
all its context to the government
Meanwhile, however, the distortion
of the facts had achieved ns end, and
L was dismissed.
KAISER WOULD NOT DECIDE
On October rs the Field Marshal and
placed our views before His Majesty
in Berlin. We expressed the view that
we must fight on. The new head of the
Civil Cabinet, Excellency Won Delbruck,
was present. While keeping any opin-
ions of sis own in the Background, he
took the same point of view as Prince
Max.
We were surprised to learn that he
was ignorant of the fact that we had
discussed the question of peace with
the Chancellor as early as the middle
of August. His Majesty came TO no
decision, but he showed full confidence
in me. He referred us to the Chan
cellor.
The latter was i'll, and Won Payer
received us and Admiral Scheer at nine
o'clock in the evening. He seemed
personally ill-disposed toward us; in
contrast to his previous attitude. He
knew well that the Cabinet wanted me
to go, as L was fighting on. The Min
lister of War was also called in. He
had not stood up in the Reichstag and
in the government for the Emperor and
the army, for had he done so he would
have to resign.
1T was n very sad hour, 1t being
clear that the government did not in
tend to fight any more. 1t thought IL
was necessary to sacrifice everything.
Could ii already hear the murmurs of
the revolution of November St Did 1t
hope to save the. country from the rev.
olution by captivating to foreign en-
emiesf
spoke seriously and was deeply
moved. L uttered a warning against
enemy'S desire to destroy us, and
against any hope being placed on Will
son.
STANDS UP FOR EMPEROR
l spoke warningly of the spread of
Bolshevism in Germany, and of the
agitation against officers, which was
then taking large proportions. That
had been the decisive turning point in
Russia, too.
L warned them not to do anything to
shake the position of the Emperor.
reminded them that His Majesty was
the chief of the army, which locked
up to him ms its head, and that we had
sworn loyalty to him These inmate
rial points were not to be underesti-
mated, for they were part of our flesh
and blood and held us fast to the EN-
peror. Whatever affected the Emperor
affected the cohesion of the army.
The weakening of the position of the
corps of officers and of the Supreme
War-Lord at a moment when the army
was submitted to the severeSt test was
the most short-sighted act imaginable.
1t constituted the heaviest blow against
order in the Army and the state, at a
time when the army was called to be
the guardian of civil order. At later
stage it did more to undermine the
discipline of the army than the hasty
evacuation of the territory on the left
of the Rhine, to which we allowed our
selves to be compelled
/ spoke in the same sense at the
beginning of November to certain of the
Social Democratic leaders. They, too,
could not grasp what the Emperor
meant to the army, not only to us reg
ular officers, but also to the rank as.i
file. My view has been confirmed by
many incidents happening since No
vember 9th.
WRITES HIS RESIGNATION
The discussion on the 25th in the
Ministry of the Interior lasted about
one and half or two hours General
Won Winterfeldt and Colonel Won Haef-
ten waited for me below.
L was deeply moved, and could say
NO mOIc .lACTe Is mo- nope. uCF-
many il lost.'' These two were greatly
touched.
In the German note of October 81
we capitulated.
At s o'clock on the morning of the
2Sth, still in the mood OF the previous
evening, l wrote rendering my resigna-
ton. In this / adopted the point of
view that, in the discussion of the
previous day with Vice. Chancellor Won
baI aI l,a :
the goernment would not act in the
Tisis, that His Majesty, the country
and the army were thus placed in an
untenable positions, that l was counted
as anxious to prolong the war, and
that, in view of the attitude taken by
the government to Wilson, my de-
parture might ease their position.
therefore begged His Majesty gracious
ly to accept my resignation.
In accordance with lis usual practice
the Field Marshal came to see me at
o'clock on the morning Of the 26th.
had placed my letter on one side, as
had made up my mind not to speak
to him of it until Toe letter was before
His Majesty. The Field Marshal was
master of his own destiny. and I did
not want to influence him.
The form of the Letter attracted his
attention, and he begged me not to dis
patch it, but to retain office. 1 ought
not to desert the Emperor and the
army at this time. After an inward
struggle I consented. I became con-
WINGED that I ought to retain my post
and proposed to the Field Marshal that
we should make another effort TO see
Prince Max. He did not receive us,
being still i'll.
KAISER TURNS AGAINST HIM
While ! was waiting for news on this
point, Colonel Won Haeften reported to
me that the government. had succeeded
in persuading His Majesty to dismiss
me, the ostensible reason put forward
Being the order aforementioned His
Majesty would shortly send for me to
the Bellevue Castle. was no longer
capable of astonishmen:, and had no
anxiety about myself personally Be-
fore this conversation ended, we were
suddenly called, at this unusual hour
to attend His Majesty.
On the way from the General Staff
Office to the Bellevue Castle 1 told the
Field Marshal what 1 had just heard.
Later heard it stated that Prince Max
had put the question of my dismissal
forward to His Majesty as a cabinet
question.
The Emperor seemed wholly changed.
Speaking to me alone, he spoke espe-
cially against the army order of the
evening OF the Gath. There followed
some of the bitterest moments of my
life. I said respectfully to His Majesty
that 1 had gained the painful impress
II.