DEPOSED THE KAISER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 29

DEPOSED THE KAISER

GREAT GERMAN DEAD PRINCE MAX OF BADEN Prince Maximilian of Baden, once | heir to the throne of the Grand Duchy and the last of the Chancellors of Imperial Germany, died recently at Con-, stance. “With his death,” Writes a German Republican, “we lose a burning patriot, ' a man with the purest intentions, and one whose breadth of view was unusual in a member of a ruling dynasty.” Prince Maximilian was Chancellor for the 40 days that preceded Germany’s acknowledgment of defeat, the abdication of "William 11., and the j revolution. It was on October 1, 1918, that the Prince was summoned to Berlin. “You i can except anything from me except j

t an offer of peace,” he said to his sister, the Duchess of Anhalt, as he left ■ Dessau for Berlin. Two days later, however, Marshal von Hindenburg wrote to him: “The Army Command adheres; to its demand made on September 29 ! that an offer of peace shall at once ! be made to our enemies. ... It is I necessary to give up the fight to save | the German people and their Allies j from useless sacrifices. Every day lost costs the lives of thousands of j brave soldiers.” | The Prince was forced to yield, but [ afterward expressed his regret at having done so. i “The fate of Germany,” he wrote, "would perhaps have been different, if then, against the views of my proper advisers, I had turned the cart round and gone back to my own ! policy.” Prince Maximilian saw the only ; j chance of saving the monarchy in the ! i immediate proclamation of the Kaiser’s abdication, the Crown ! Prince's renunciation of the throne, and the erection of a regency. He j could not get into telephonic com- ,

munication with the Kaiser. Minutes counted. He took the responsibility and an nounced the abdication, and declared that he should advise the Regent to appoint Ebert, the leader ot the Social-Democrat , as . Chancellor, and to call a National Assembly. It was too late. Ebert and hi.i friends were at the door. The Prince transferred his office to i Ebert, and raised the question of the regency. j “It is too late,” said Ebert. Late:- ■ in the day the Prince and the Soclal- . ist met again. “Herr Ebert," said the Prince, “take the German Reich to your heart!" Ebert replied: “I have lost two sons for this Reich.” They were both patriots. Other notable politicians whose names were prominent during he war i and who have since died are: In ‘ Great Britain, Lord Asquith. Lord Curzon, Mr. Bonar Law arid Lord Milner: in the United States, President Wilson; in France, M. Viviani: and in Germany, Count von Bethmann- ( Holweg and Prince von Bulow.