Evening star., 1923-11-19

The escape of Crown Prince Fried
rich wilhelm from internent In Hol-
land arouses the suspicious OF the
world as to whether Il is to be fol-
lowed by the former kaiser.s seeking
to regain his throne. The abdication
of Wilhelm ii and the renunctation OF
all claims to the throne by the prince
amount to no more than SCRAPS OF
paper in case they see an opportu-
nifty to cast them aside and emulate
Napoleon's return from Eioa-
The German republic secretly poses
as permitting Prince Friedrich Will
helms return in order to neutralize
the agitation In Bavaria for the en-
thronement OF Rupprecht as King OF
Bavaria--in rivalry with the Hohen-
zollern line-but the same pretense
will apply equally to return OF the
former kaiser, after the weakness OF
willie" becomes obvious. Neither
have been guarded by Holland. and
even the flight of the prince seems TO
have made no particular change in
Hollands policy of indifference TO the
menace to the peace OF Europe and
the world. which she appears to be
forwarding.
Stresemanr. premier OF the repub-
lie, announces that the occupation or
the Ruhr by France is an act of war
which nulliffes the Versailles treaty.
Germany, therefore, is again In actual
war with France. which status paves
the way for any act of defiance or
hostility, even including the re-en-
thronement Of the ex-kaiser. As the
United States is not a party to the
Versailles treaty-to the regret of
former President wilson-the admin
istration of President Coolidge takes
the position that this country is not
concerned as to what form of gov
, ernment Germany chooses to estab-
list, especially in the light of our
settled policy Of letting all peoples
choose their own government Hence
the State Department is profoundly
non n-committal as to any comments on
current events in Germany.
That is not the position. however,
occupied by the major allies of the
late war. To them the situation is
extremely tense. and the efforts they
made in 1921 to induce Holland TO
surrender the former kaiser are re-
at their failure. Holland is facing an
accusation by the civilized world. as
represented by the allies and asso-
ciates, of having betrayed civfllzation
by sheltering and then giving liberty
to the arch criminals OF all history.
When the allies. in January, 1921,
demanded that Holland turn over the
kaiser for trial, they argued: 1t is
not a question of public accusation
having throughout a legal character,
hut an act of high international pol
icy. imposed by the universal con-
science. in which legal forms are en-
ployed solely to assure the accused
bodv guarantees, such as have. hith-
erto been unknown in public law
Never before had & law i,s 6eeh taosu sc IN, ny
der Caesar nor Napoleon bad flooded
the world in such gore, zen iniiiioIi m
dead. 10000, 600 wounded or ruined IN
health! Previously enacted law cou,u au
not measure such a crime, TOT such
carnage was inconceivable.
In that note of demand the allies
annealed to Holland to remember that
she who had been "one OF the nrst
to claim place nas desire in to .sAes cover by
! moral authority a violation OF the es-
senttal principles OF the solidarity OF
nations, for all are interested TO pre-
vent a return Of a similar catas-
trophe."
X + X
Holland Immediately took the po-
sition that by her laws and traditions
she must continue to act as an asylum
for those vanQuished In international
conflicts. Her premier replied:
Now neither the constitutional
laws of the Kingdom. which are based
on universally recognized principles
of law, nor the time-honored trad1-
| tion which has made the country al
all times the land Of refuge for those
yanouished in international conflicts
permit the government or HoiIand 20
comply with the desire OF the powers
| by refusing the benefits of the laws
| to the emperor.
I Holland added: IF in the future, an
international jurisdiction was insti-
tinted by the league of nations. which
iurtsdictfon was competent to judge
n would be within the province OF
the Netherlands to decide whether II
would adhere to the new regime. The
government Of the queen cannot In
| the present instant admit any other
ohIi1ation than that imposed by the
laws of the kir gdom and the national
traditions"
To that refusal, the then premier
OF England. Lloyd George. replied on
behalf OF the allies:
Tho powers do not require the
xovernment Of the queen 70 depart
II a., conditional poIicv h,,t <hov