The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-19
BY WILHELM HoHENzoLLERN

Now the efforts Of the government
and the Imperial Chancellor to induce
me to abdicate began. Drews, the
Minister of the Interior, came to me
at the behest of the Chancellor, in
order to supply me with information
concerning the spirit of the country.
He described the well-known happen
ings in press, high finance and pub
lie, and laid emphasis on the fact that
the Imperial Chancellor himself had
adopted no attitude toward the ques-
ton of my abdication, but, neverthe-
less. had sent him to me. Drews, in
in short, was well-nigh to suggest to
me that l myself should decide to alb
dictate, in order that it might not ap-
pear that the government had exerted
pressure upon me.
| spoke to the Minister about the
fateful consequences of my abdica-
ton and asked how he, as a Prussian
official, could reconcile such a suppo-
sition with his oath as an official to
his King. The Minister grew embar-
raised and excused himself by refer
ence to the command of the Imperial
Chancellor, who had been unable to
find any other man for the task
was informed later that Drews was
JIG vi tic III OL OliACLdIo nlO SpOhC Vi
the abdication of his master and King.
| refused to abdicate and declared
that / would gather troops together
and return with them in order to help
the government to maintain order in
the land.
After that, Drews was received, in
my presence, by Field Marshal von
Hindenburg and General Groner,
whom he informed of the mission en-
trusted to him by the Imperial Chan
cellor and by both of whom he was
very sharply rebuked in the name of
the army. Groner's Characterization
of Prince Max in particular, was ex-
pressed in such plain terms that | had
to appease and comfort the Minister.
The Field Marshal also called
Drews's attention to the fact that, in
the event of my abdication, the army
would not go on fighting, but would
dispense, and that the majority of the
officers, in particular, would probably
resign and thus leave the army with
out leaders.
Soon after that learned from one
of my sons that the Imperial Chan
celIor had tried to ascertain whether
he was prepared to undertake the mis-
sion which subsequently was under
taken by Drews My son Indignantly
declined to suggest abdication to his
father
In the meantime, | had sent the
Chief of Cabinet, Won Delbruck, to-
Berlin. in order to lay before the
Chancellor a general address, also in
tended for publication, which should
take the place of my address to the
Ministry (not published by the Chan
cellor), deal more broadly with the
matters taken up therein, and make
clear my attitude toward the govern
ment and toward the new direction
taken by public opinion. At first the
Chancellor failed to publish this. Not
until several days later did he find
his L forced to permit publication,
owing to letter written to him, as
learned afterward, by the Empress.
Thereupon Herr Won Delbruck in
formed me that the address had made |
a good impression in Berlin and in the
press, relieved the situation. and |
tended to quiet the people, so that the
idea of abdication had begun to dis
appear and even the Socialists of the
Right had decided to postpone action
concerning it.
Socialist Activity
were constant reports that the Social
lists in Berlin we're planning trouble,
and that the Chancellor. was growing
steadily more nervous. The report
given by Dr. to the government. /
after his return from Spa, had not
failed to cause an impression; the gen
tlemen wished to get rid of me, TO be
sure but for the time being, they were
afraid of the consequences.
Their point of view was as obscure
as their conduct. They acted as if
they did not want a republic, yet
failed completely to realize that their
course was bound to lead straight to
a republic. Many, in fact, explained
the actions of the government by
maintaining that the creation of re-
public was the very end that its mem
bers had in view; plenty of people
drew the conclusion. from the puz-
zling conduct of the Chancellor toward
me, that he was working to eliminate
me in order to become himself Presi-
dent of the German Republic, after
being. in the interim, the administra-
tor of the empire.
To believe this is undoubtedly to do
the prince an injustice; such train