Evening star., 1926-10-19
.PRUSS|A'S TERMS
WITH EX-KA|SER HIT
Return of Riches and Incl
dent of Grandson in Army
Declared Bad 0menS.

| By Radio to The Star.
| BERLIN, October 19.~-In his pa
| thetic farewell address to the German
| Reichswehr, Gen. Won Seeckt, its de-
| posed commander. said he had en-
deavored TO implant in this army the
spirit of the old army and called on
the Reichswehr to 90 forward over
the graves
A foreigner asks fearfuliy whether
the republican defensive army is to
| resemble the imperial army, and
what graves must be traversed by the
soldiers enlisted for . years,
These fanfares and drum rolls of
military rhetoric must not be taken
too seriously. That they occasioned
fear at this time Is the result of
strange happenings that rudely
awakened slumbering mistrust.
First Blamed Hindenburg.
When it was learned that the
former kaisers eldest grandson had
participated in the Reichswehr ma
neuvers, those familiar with German
conditions were compelled to believe
that this happened with the consent
Of President Hindenburg. VINO is chief
Of the ReiChSWehr. ana who, as field
marshal to his majesty, would like to
regard the military training OF
HohenZollern prince as belonging to
the divine cosmic order, and not as
a violation OF state institutions.
But President Hindenburg caused
it to be publicly announced after the
affair that 1t had first become known
to him through the newspapers"
that the Kaisers grandson had par
the uniform of the old army in the
presence of thousands OF spectators
Nevertheless. he granted all conceiv.
able parting honors to Gen. Won
Seeckt. Who, then, was responsible
for the reticence and the breach of
discipline?
Foreign observers of the German
military spirit found this explanation
so improbable that they believed Gen.
Won Seeckt had protected his chief
and would soon return to his high
post. This fruit of mistrust was nour-
ished by the sudden change of front in
the conflict regarding the gigantic
properties claimed by the HohenZol-
lernS.
Sees Liberal Terms Made.
In two piebiscites, almost half the
German voters have refused to give
further vast riches to the dethroned
families. Despite this. the PruSsian
government has concluded, in dark
secrecy, a contract with Wilhelm
representatives which gives the Ho-
henzollerns 250,000 morgen of land,
II palaces, 25 villas and big houses.
the property of the former priVy
purse, three-quarters of the capital
from the house and crown estates and
1 nyI-G- Ct N pH
there are mountains OF valuable house
furnishings and 100000 marks as
compensation" for paintings and
sculptures which have been long IN
the states possession.
Furthermore, Wilhelm and his wife
have the right to live in Homburg
Palace and to have the HohenZollern
archives in Berlin administered by
court archivist that is, to have
them barred against inconvenient in
vCstigators.
This contract, with which even the
monarchists are satisfied, was sign'e'
by a government whose premier and
minister of interior are Socialists.
And that party, which for months
summoned the people to appropriate
everything without compensation,
now makes possible parliamentary
ratification of the contract by alb
staining from voting in the Prussian
Diet on the work of their own leaders.
Intrigues Are Discerned.
This reprehensible spectacle is the
result of domestic political intrigues
designed to effect an unnatural coali-
tion and assure to Socialists the most
powerful offices in the state.
In view of all these things, it is
unfortunately understandable that
this declaration is regarded as a part
Of a tissue of lies and, despite Lo-
carno and Thoiry, the opinion voiced
the other day by the Belgian foreign
minister. Vandervelde, again begins
10 gain ground-that the German re-
public is only a signboard to conceal
the movement for restoration Of a
military monarchy and it's expansive
tendency.
Whoever sows distrust cannot hope
to reap confidence.
tCopyrigf1t. 1920
---e-~
Basra, India, has a successful auto
matte telephone system.