The Washington herald., 1921-12-20
HIllDENBURC'S ACT
DN KAISER LETTERS
tAUDED BY PRESS
Var Guilt Denial Called
Final Blow to Treaty
Of Versailles. ~

6oLRkAN- HbtC- iS.-tIldl 1lnurH-
vnrs has again proven a patriot and
eneered service to the nation in
sclosing the Ksiser's letter deny
g Germany.s war guilt. is the
nor of articles in the Nationalist
ess.
THE Versailles treaty stands o,
us VITA article 2l3." says the
ckal Anziger. ALREADY tottering,
is now given q final blow by the
taiser's letter, which is calculated
r open up the entire question OF
arAguilt throughout the world,
Germans Are Grateful.
The Germans are grateful TO
Hindenburg for courageously as
cunning the tremendous RESPONSE
Witty OF publishing the correspond
Vince Should the peaeemakers OF
Versailles officially attach no con-
Elusive proof on the question Of war
guilt. they VIII be forced to recos-
cize the great moral Significance of
She correspondence. They will be
deprived of the negative argumens
OF Germany's war guilt, which the
whole world has been taught to de-
duce from the silence OF the chief
Parsonage accused.
TT is deeply significant that the
kaiser's letter contains authentic
evidence that the former monarch's
long silence is no confession Of
guilt
* The Deutsche Tages Zeitung en-
phasizes the fact that the corre-
spondence was not intended for
publication and that the Kaiser has
been kept in Ignorance of the step.
HI. Own Initiative.
The sole initiative rests with
4indenburg, who assumes full re-
eponsibiiity for the publication"
says the Tages Zeitung. Nothing
in the Kaiser's letter alters the fact
that his flight was an irreparable
error and IL does not change the
political verdict But the human
verdict will be modified by Hin
denourg's acceptance Of the Kali
ser's Interpretation
His advisers misjudged the ef-
fects OF the flight of the Kaiser,
as the entente never had the slight
est idea of treating Germany with
out 'the Kaiser any better than
they would Germany with the Kali
ser. On the contrary, the collapse
- military and civil discipline in
Germany furnished entente leaders
the opportunity to impose more an
Initiating conditions through the
Versailles treaty.
Every word OF the letter indi-
sense of responsibility as becomes
a world historical. document. Hin
denburg has again proven a faith
full servant OF Germany, and in no
distant future the entire nation
will recognize his decision as of
the highest significance to Ger
many's destiny"
Went Extreme Limit
The chief significance of the let
ter of the former Kaiser" says Die
Zeit, lis the solemn assurance
therein given, that in order to pre-
vent war the Kaiser went the ex-
IRENE limit considered compatible
with Germany's safety and honor.
This confession of historic truth
cannot be refuted by any counter
proofs on the part OF the entente.
The statement contains a bitter
condemnation of the lack of skill
and efficiency Of the German for
eign policy prior to the late war.
Bismarck would nevr have per-
mitted such a decision to rest en-
tirely in the hands OF his enemies.
1T all offers irrefutable testi-
mony of the unquestionably insist
ent German peace policy. The
entente efforts to stigmatize the
Kaiser as a war criminal have long
since been frustrated, but the leg
end of Germany's war guilt is still
zeslously agitated, particularly in
the United States.
The correspondence is the best
refutation of the villflcations d.
rected at the Kaiser. The Hinden-
Surg disclosure of the kaiser's
motives do not serve to Justify his
fight, but places it in a new light"
World Cannot Ignore.
= The Kreuse Zeitung says: The
deep moral gravity characterizins
1he Kaiser's letter, together with
the irrefuIable accuracy of the facts
presented, make a powerfully con-
Sincing historic document which
the German people and the neutral
world cannot ignore.
- LOO NAAlc mas ocCA
lost in trying to placate an i'm
placable enemy. 1t is now the duty
Of the German government and the
people to open a courageous cam
eaign to prove Germany not guilty
and to hammer this into the con-
1ciousnesS of the entire world. The
German people owe this TO them
Selves and to the cause OF truth, ana
~ the Kaiser whom they followed
IND acclaimed in better days"
u The Deutsche Zeirung says: The
Shief content Of both letters is the
fefutation OF Germany's war guilt
Hlndenburg testifies that the Kaiser
Worked solely for the preservation
Of peace and the Kaiser giving the
World solemn assurance that he did
Hot wish war and that he did ev-
Eything he could to prevent It.
: The Kaiser's words rejecting the
Hight OF his enemies to demand his
Mial : dignifed and impressfyh Is