Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-26
KAISERSSON
FLEES EXILE
OFF HOLLAND
Washington Hears En-
peror May Also Return
-Stirs Peace Circles

Paris, June 26. - Frederick
William HOhenzOllern, the for
mer German crown prince, has
escaped from Holland and
made his way into Germany.
News of the escape of the ex-
crown prince caused a cOnsld-
cradle stir in peace confer
ence circles. While IL is not
felt that he Is a figure around
which the reactiOnaries and
mOnarchists would gather en-
Enthusiastically, nevertheless his
act is regarded as an event Of
considerable Significance in
view of other German recalci-
trancy.
Washington, June 2s.- Conf
Dental reports that the former
German crown prince and also
probably the former emperor,
would attempt to reenter Germany
J after the signing of the peace
treaty were received recently by
government officials here. This
became known today after an As
sociated Press dispatch telling of
the escape of the crown prince had
been received.
May Hold Dutch Responsible.
The former German crown prince
was interned by the Dutch govern
ment on Wieringen and if he pre-
serves his status as a soldier the
! opinion of international law auth
critics here is that The Netherlands
government may be held account
able for his escape.
The rules of war and neutrality
require the government of any ma
tion that affords asylum to a fugi-
tive soldier to intern him for the
period of the war and in this IN
stance that period technically had
not elapsed.
Because of the bitterness mani
tested by the extreme socialists in
Germany against the former royal
family, officials here we're some
what puzzled by the flight. They
assumed, however, that the prince
either had encouragement from
friends in Germany to believe that
whatever government survived the
present crisis would refuse to sur
render him for trial under the
peace treaty or that a coup d'etat
, was in contemplation.
Is MilitariaSts' Novel
(Hints have come from Germany
within the last few days that the
military caste there would not be
averse to bringing about a mill
! tary situation within the former
empire that would embarrass the
allies in putting the peace treaty
into effect, and it seems not i'm
probable that the whole move made
by the ex-crown pince is connect
ed with some such plan. The for
mer crown prince made his way in
to Holland shortly after the sign
ing of the armistice last Novem-
ber and was iDterned there by the
Dutch government, taking up his
residence on the island of Wier-
ingen, in the zuyder Zee)
Did Not RenOunce Rights7
Two days before the armistice
was signed, a decree issued by the
German imperial chancellor, Prince
Max of Baden. announcing the de-
cision of the former German en-
peror to abdicate, stated:
THE imperial chancellor will re-
main in office until the questions
connected with the abdication of
the kaiser, the renouncing by the
| crown prince of the throne OF the
German empire and of Prussia, and
| the setting up of the regency have
been settled"
! This generally was accepted by
the public as an announcement OF
the crown princes intention TO re-
nounce his rights.
"Ready TO Help COuntTymen.7
Later. however, the crown
prince denied any such intention in
an interview given TO the Associat-
ed Press in Holland, on December
3, 1918. He said:
Il have not renounced anything
and l have not signed any docu-
ments whatever However, should
the German government decide 10
form a republic similar to the Unit
! ed States, or France, l should be
content to return to Germany as
simple citizen ready to do every
thing to help my countrymen."
Notwithstanding this categorical
statement, the semi-onicial bureau
of Berlin three days later issued
what was said to be the exact words
of the crown princes remuneration
of his rights to the throne. This
document reads:
II renounce formally and definite
! ly all rights to the crown OF rus
sia and the imperial crown which
would have fallen TO me by the re-
nunciation of the emperor-king, or
! for other reasons.
Given by my authority and sign
ed by my hand; done at Wieringen,
December j. 1918.
wilhelm"
Was MisquOted, Claim.
] The ex-crown prince has given
numerous interviews in Holland
and has complained in some in
| stances of having been misquoted-
However, the Associated Press cor
respondent holds an autographed
letter from the ex-crown prince in
which the letter states that in his
interview he was quoted correctly