THE KAISER’S GUILT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 16 November 1927, Page 3

THE KAISER’S GUILT.

(To The Editor.) Sir, —It is surprising that the memoirs of the late Prince Lichnowsky. who was German Ambassador in London in 1914. should now cause a stir in Germany. So far as the cables indicate, the memoirs merely repeat the portions of the 'ate Prince’s diary, which were published in Stockholm during the darkest days of the war. The depression caused by the German Western offensive in 1918 was relieved by the testimony of two Germans who proved to those who would heed that the responsibility for the awful carnage was upon the Kaiser and his war party. The two were Prince Lichnowsky and Dr. Muhelon. The Prince as Germany’s Ambassador, recorded the efforts made by Sir Edward Grey in July 1914 to prevent war, and his vindication of Sir Edward was later confirmed by the American Ambassador to England, Mr Walter Hines Page, and other neutral observers. The Prince very definitely charged the Kaiser with deliberately stultifying every peace proposal made by Sir Edward Grey, in which the Prince, if he could have had his way. would have co-operated. And it must be remembered that the telling of the truth by this witness was io his own hurt.

The other witness. Dr. Muhelon, was a director of Krupps in Juno 1914, with a salary of £lO,OOO per year. The Doctor states that lie was shown the ultimatum which was to be presented to Serbia by Austria. He was told the date is would be presented. His remark was: “But this means war. No Sovereign State could accept the conditions contained in the ultimatum.” The reply was: “Yes. it means war.” And the ultimatum was served on Serbia on the day the Doctor had been informed it would. Dr. Muhelon resigned his directorship and went into exile When the Germa nannies were almost through our Western line. Dr. Muhelon’s evidence was printed by that magnificent pro-Ally paper, “The New York Times.” It seemed providential when the outlook for the Allies was the darkest that two enemy subjects of standing should at such a time be moved to tell the world their irrefutable story. Appa rently, the German people are only now appreciating that testimony. Perhaps the New Zealand lawyer, who has written a book charging Vis count Grey with tbo responsibility for the war, will follow the Germans in giving due weight to this old testimony. and withdraw his libel with contrition. Statesmen in 1914 were trying to. remove their points of friction in a powder house. It is toe little known that some ot the causes of trouble between Germany and Great Britain were then in progress of settlement. It is only an assertion to say that war was inevitable. It is clearly established that Great Britain’s intervention came ns a shock to Betlimann Hollweg. the German Chancellor. Though Prince Lichnowsky advised the German authorities that Great. Britain would intervene, other advico was to the direct opposite. This is the cardinal point. In his efforts to keep the peace Sir Edward Grey refrained from informing the German Government that if Belgium was invudeu Great Britain would probably fight. He could not be more definite had he wished, for it was only in the few days preceding the great decision that it became clear that a majority { of the Cabinet would support that ; course ; and it was not till Sir Edward j made his speech in the House of Commons that he was assured that the judgment of Parliament approved of intervention. Lord Haldane believes, and Viscount Grev is of the opinion, that if the German Chancellor had been convinced that Britain would fight he would have exercised every power he possessed to check rthe war lords and their puppet the Kaiser. While the French and Russian Ambassadors were piteously pleading that Sir Edward would give their Governments definite pledges of support, Sir Edward used no threats and gave no promises. It is well to review these facts, because the preparations for war and the discussion of such a suicidal method of settling differences is proceeding now, in some respects worse than in 1914. Then, the war mongers and the pressure of war equipment destroyed the slow progress that was silently proceeding towards international understanding. The urgent world need is for a speedy reduction in armaments. —Yours, etc., H. R FRENCH. Hastings, November 15, 1927.