The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-10-08

WI ttiiun itOlft tftt altttr.
His army. however. was
continually collapsing and
transportation in its rear
growing worse.
that we should Obtain a peace that
would not amount 10 destruction.
PRINCE MAX ASKS .
ron CONFERENCES
Prince Ajax begged me In canfi-
denco 20 cut myself off from General
Won nartcnwerffer. Colonel bauer.
and. Lieutenant Colonel Nicolai.
Crhese representatives u the army
had reused intense anger hy their
suppression Of labor agitation and
freedom of the press aud sreeoh)
asked what was the accusation
against these men. lie replied that
ha did not clearly know and waa
merely repeating what had BEEN said
to him. thereupon begged him to
let me have definite reports. and I
would have them carefully examined
in tho interests OF tho parties con.
cerned. Nothing was ever received.
u any definite complaint had hesu
made. I would have Investigated II.
as my duty was. but I could not set
rid of conscientious aud loyal mcn ON
malicious gossip or unsupported aug
gcstloas. The request made q very
painful impression on mo, That was
tho sort 81 work German suvsrn'
mcnt in Berlin found 10 do In such
an anxious time.
The prince also wanted 20 hear tks
views Of other high officers on the
situation. Only general headquarters.
however. had . view Of the whole
position. The conditions were differ
ent with zach army. A poxterlorl
reasoning from ono army "a the en-,
tire frons vas impossible.
I refused his request. The field
marshal and I had alsus ~ bear the
responsibility. Ills majesty could Do
mand explzsasieas at Amy mosseal.
but not th~ ehAscelior. Tho army
WAS stili snblect " the sssps~es ~
war lard.
At the beginning Of November.
after had ieft office. two army
chiefs expressed thsis views 10 the
war cabinet. and In essentials thsy
agreed with me. Their differences
were al applicable BY the limited
view which IL all that an army chief
can have Of tho whole position.
REsE>Ts CRITICIsMs
or ARMY
As Il always tho case aftss the De
feat OF an army. criticisms have been
expressed or publLshed. which may
ha correct N long as they 6void all
conclusions that the critic 10 not him.
s>lf In . position TO check Condi.
lions In the whole army. ana on our
extended front. were too varied 10 al.
init OF congratulations. whhrh per.
sonai experiences NJ ons paint are
apt to tempt men To mahe. Such
genersiinttons are a. dannsreus -
tn. empty cstchwords which have
poisoned the whole Of our political
life. In science they rank a. the
most pronounced symptem Of the
half.informed.
Officers who think that they fsre-
saw everything. would have done
better to 30 honestly 10 general head
quarters. In which they had conf
dcnce. and there to explain what vas
In their minds. recsived but few
letters from such men. and 70 there
was anything new IN their letters I
summoned them to discuss the
matter.
II wa. noe time. ~ last. 10 as~er.
tain definitely whether the German
people would fight an, " the nsgesis-
lions with the enemy did not lead 10
an acceptable peace. Preparations
had 10 be taken. The press hsd Given
us . favorable vIcw 81 Ne po~sIhtltey
Of continuing the fight.
FIGHTING TALK
o. LEADERS
In his first important reIehstas
speech, on October Q. DEALING with
the necessity for continuisg tho
struggle In the event Of thu oondi-
tons being unacceptable. Prince Max
took the same point OF view A. the
field marshal and myself. The prince
said:
with stout hearts and full Of eon-
fidence in our strength. we are r.
solved. II II be Inevitable. ~ make
yet further sacrifices for our honor.
our freedom. and the happiness Of
our descendants.
And again:
whatever the result Of our offer
OF peace. I know that II will find the
country firm and united In its rsadt
ness either for an honorable peace or
for a life and death struggle to the
last. on which our people are deter
mined. II II be unavoidable. am not
afraid when I contemplate the pos
sibllity Of this second alternative. for
know the great strength that suil
resides among our people, and I
know too that the clear conyietion
that each man IL fighting for his life
win redouble his strength"
The president Of tho reichstag
spoke TO the same effect:
Every German at homo In ready,
like every soldier at the front, 10 sac
rifice everything for his country, II
need be-"
SAW HOPE OF
RESISTANCE
These were fine and stimulating
words. which convinced me that the
chancellor. the reichstag, and general
headquarters we're fully agreed al 10
continuing the fight u the worst
came TO tho worst. But Il seemed
that the chancellor and the rcichstag
failed to realize that every German
had been engaged since 1914 In a
fight for his life. and that this fight
demanded every sacrifice from W. all.
The clear consciousness of this had
been lost among the thousands OF
catchwords with which both from In.
side and outside the soul Of tho Ger