The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-06
HERTLING, PEACE
CHANCELLOR, DEAD
German Catholic Leader,
Broken, by Failures, Sue
cumbs at 75.
HATED THE PRUSSIANS
Power in Reichstag for Forty
Years and Noted as q
Philosopher.
HATED THE PRUSSIANS


Philosopher.
COPENHAGEN, Jan. b.--Count George F.
vor. Hertling. upon whose shoulders a.
German Imperial Chancellor rested the
he pes Of the Kaiser and his adherents for
the success OF their subtle peace drtvee
died Saturday night Mt RuhpoldinE. Ba-
Nt.ria, after an Illness of only six days.
He was n broken man when the collapse
of the war spirit among the German peo-
pie forced him out of the Chancellorship
and for oil upon Germany the military
arm'stice he had been charged to avert.
He was known as "the subtle Chan
cellor." His ascension to the post from
which MHhaelis had just been forced In
October, 1917. marked the definite initia-
ton Of the German will to end the war.
Fol- time he was able to hold the
crumblinx empire together. He welded
the warning political parties OF Germany
together temporarily. His subtlety gave
utterances TO the German desire for i'm
mediate peace. and WAS revealed within
few days as in full agreement With the
peace terms that were forced upon Rus
sia at Brest-Litovsk.
His fall peared certain after Presi-
dent Wilson. answering the combined
German and Austrian peace ofer. went
before Congress last February and said
that "the trakical circumstance "a that
this one party in Germany is apparently
willing and able to send millions OF men
to their death to prevent what all the
world now sees to be Just"
Always q ComprOmiser.
OF this last Of the German war Chan
cellors II has been said that the essence
| of his whole career was compromise
that he had always won his point under
tho Ruiss OF concession. moderation.
| generosity 1t was upon these methods
that the German war lords were depend
\ ing, and 70 they chose him at the mo-
ment when Austria was crying for peace
and when II was hoped also that his
| influence as perhaps the most powerful
| Catholic In Germany would be or use In
connection with the drive into Italy that
was in progress even as he took up his
| duties.
| Won Hertling was Premier of bavaria
| when he was chosen as the German
| Chancellor This fact was looked upon
| az significant, for II was pointed to as
indicating that Prussia at last had been
displaced as the only source OF ADVICE
| for the kaiser. 1t was taken as q posi-
| tive indication that the wane or the
power and the political downfall OF Hin
denburg. Ludendorff. Tirpitz and the
Crown, IN fact, the military junta- was
in the making II not actually already
accomplished.
Hated the Prussians.
1t was that military junta which had
driven Won Bethmann-H ollweg Into OBJ
| scurity and retirement. The junta was
the overload Of Berlin with the coming
Of Won Hertllng Michaelis had been
looked upon throughout the world as the
| creature OF the junta. II was generally
| accepted that he had been forced
against Wilhelm's will-upon the Kaiser
as well as upon the Reichstsg. Hope OF
the allied world rested u some extent In
! the fact that while the Kaiser submitted
| willingly. there was In the ReichstaS an
| undercurrent OF resentment over the
choice OF Michaelis which sooner or later
must make Itself felt against the inter-
ests of the junta.
Won Hertling's appointment followed
conferences with the leaders OF the
Reichstag and with the rulers of the
principal States OF the German con-
federation. such n step was interpreted
as marking the surrender by the Kaiser
Of one of his most cherished and
| zealously guarded prerogatiNes. Won
Hertling was in his seventy-fourth year
when he was chosen as Chancellor. ana
he held all of the hate of his BaVarian
people for the Prussians and for the
Hohenzollerns.
AS Premier of Bavaria he always had
4 been looked upon as particularly indie
pendent and aggressive IN defending the
sovereignty of Bavaria from any en-
croacmnent by Prussia. To him even
has been extended credit for FORCING
King Louis To assume the throne IN
place Of King Otto. known as the crazy
King. which followed the attempts OF
the Kaiser to take advantage or KING
Otto's affection to impose his will upon
the Bavarian people
II Had Solid Catholic BACKING.
1t was pointed out also that Won
HertlinE, with the solid backing OF the
Catholic or Centre party in the Reichs-
tar and one who always was Jealous
of his own power and prestigeA was
about the last person who would dream
of accepting anything in the nature o'
dictatlon from either the Kaiser or the
Junta.
Won Hertling was born in Darmstad'
IN southwestern Germany in lS43 anc
. belonged to an old baronial family
. which for 600 years had figured prornl
/ nently in political and administrative
, life at Munich. He became Count or
! his seventeen birthday
Before that honor came to him, how
ever. he had achieved n reputation m {
scholar which far outdid any reputation
, he ever achieved az politician. HI
was a philosopher, and was known ove
, the world as one of the most eminent o
/, ire professors of philosophy OF which
, germany could boast He had com
: bined educational and literary work !,
later wears with his political activities
-, He studied philosophy and history
: Munster, Munich and Berlin and re
a ! ceiyed the degree Of doctor OF philosoph,
in 1864. Later he visited Italy AM
: studied the dogmatic history OF IN
Roman Catholic Church. In 1867 h
n became n teacher of philosophy in tn
lI-niyersity of Bonn. His writings wer
r chiefly upon Catholicism and poiitica
r sociology.
= Long m Power in Reichstag.
n For forty years Count Won Heru,n
). was q power in the Reichstag' II
Z ,eryed In that body continuously fror
Il 1873 to 1912. except for the years fror
1890 to 1895. and was leader OF IN
y Clerical party from 1909, following IN
n death OF Count Hompesch. When Cour
Won Rulow was Chancellor he entruste
Won Hertiing with negotiations with IN
o Vatican Won Hertling also was ofte
the .emi-oficial intermediary betwee
! his marty and the Government.