New Britain Herald Newspaper, November 17, 1922, Page 28

FEBIBERE Sy vt ~ B 2 4 i e Those B | e e——— Prince Alexander Hohenlob+, author of this article, is_ths youngest son of the former Chan. cellor Prince Chlodwig Hohen- loke, an intimate friend of the Hobhenzollern family. Prince Al exander was a member of the Reichstag and later, previous to the war, district president in Col- mar, in Alsace-Lorraine. He lived abroad for some years in Italy and in France. During the war he was in Switzerland. The prince is now over 6o years old. He is noted for his sharp criti- cism of German imperial policy, and in particular for his opposi- ton to the Kaiser. By PRINCE ALEXANDER HOHENLOHE. “NOTHING Learned” might well have been the title of "“The Memolrs of Crown Prince Wilhelm,” which is the latest addition to the autobiographies of German and Austrlan world war actors that have been flooding the market these last few years. Readers of the book will be thoroughlv con- vinced that Germany's slent acqui- escence at the time of the abdication of William II, was the result of the ' belief that the Crown Prince would succeed to the throne. One need not be an admirer of ‘William II.—the author of this article never was one—to feel that there is &'lack of good taste in the Prince's book which may be accounted for in the fact that he is the son of his father, for it is well known that the father also showed a lack of this same quality. During all the years of his fateful government, from be- gloning to end, wrbi et orbi, he showed this sufficlently. Just as repulsive as the above is the Prince’s continued emphasis of his democracy, his little anecdotes of how he talked with “common peo- ple,* how he assoclated with his ‘“brave boys” on the fleld. It pro- duces an unpleasant effect, and will produce a more unpleasant effect on those who were really at the front wheén he speaks of ‘the ‘way he “pressed forward to thé front and on the field of battle,” although no one ever heard of his going further toward the front than a safe point behind the firing line. 'He need not be reproached for this, for in modern warfare the leader sits before a table with his maps spread out, listening to the telephone in comfortable quarters far from the battlefield, ‘while ‘the “human materiel” out in the muddy and dirty trenches are starving and freezing and being shot to pieces. The man who really did risk his bones and in some cases did not bring them back whole—who was one of the heroes ‘himself—who fought' against the overwhelming forces with courage and endurance which arqused admiration among the . enemy—may at least demand that, when he reads such a work, it con- tain a little more respect for the truth. It is scarcely probable that a reader of this type would be pleased with the patriarchal, dffected and eentimental tone with which Mr. Rosner allows the Crown Prince to speak of “his boys.” The times have changed, but this the author does not seem to comprehend. Frederick the Great might have indulged in such an attitude. He was Frederick the Great. And even the famous Napoleon, whom the Crown Prince is ‘supposed to have admired so much, spoke of his “grognards” in a difterent tone. The same unpleasant impression is made when the author discusses his role before the war., He underesti- mates too much the memory of his readers when he attempts to clear A Hohenlohe Scores Crown Princes Memoirs himself of the accusation that he tried to Incite the war when he in- terfered In the famous Zabern affair by depicting the ncldent as a harm- less matter. contrary to facts. The affair was deeply discussed through- out Europe because it threw the po- litical situatiton in Germany sud- denly into the limelight and {llumi- nated the overwhelming preponder. ance of the militarists and the im- perial government's submission to their demands, The impression made was more lasting because of the In- terference of the Crown Prince, who unreserveedly took sides with the military elements. At the time the whole affair was recognized, and probably not unjustly, as an attempt to bring abbut immediate war. Peace had lasted too long for certain mili- tary groups, and they desired war for their own advancement. For this reason few will belleve the author when he tries to justify his attitude at the time, his famous tele- grams on the subject and the “wrong label which all the blind pacifists in Germany and their evil echoes in foreign countries” attached to him. It would have left a far better im- pression had he admitted that he had acted foolishly at the time. He might even have excused himself by saying that he was then nine years younger, Agaln, there is the Prince’s famous statement about the joy of being able to ride to a real cavalry attack at the head of his Hussars, Thi statement he avoids remembering perhaps for the reason that the ques- tion would be so obvious why, in August, 1914, where there was still use for cavalry, he let the oppor- tunity go by. Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is that in which he tries to explain his political views. It is interesting in that we Germans are given an opportunity to see what sort of a man might have ascended the throne if the world war had not overturned the monarchy and his father had passed from this life in peace. It would seem almost impos- sible that any German could wish for this man on the throne after his own presentation of his views, At the beginning of the book he speaks of his relations to his father and the difference between them in ‘“character, temperament and na ture” He mentions his own “freer attitude toward life, unhampered by tradition,”” and of the expression of opinions and actions of his father which seemed to him “strange and incomprehensible.” Attempting to ex- plain this, he says that he himself, “following his natural inclination, was perhaps more under the in fluence of reality than the Emperor and conversed with less prejudiced persons, and, above all, listened to them.” He adds that the chief char. acteristics of his father were his “trank, perhaps at times all too free candor, and his . accommodating trust.” i In various passages he emphasizos his political views, which he holds to - be more modern than those of his father, and lays especial stress on his first acquisitions during , the years he spent working ana study- ing in the ministries. It was then, he eays, that he began to compre- hend the ‘mportance of the press, in which “the pulse of the times was ralpitating,” and, after plowing through the papers from Kreuszeit- ung to Vorwaerts, he found that “the problems of the day were consid- erably different from the Emperor's views of them.” Involuntarily the impression is received that the author seeks more favorable press The former Crown Prince of Germ comment in the future by his em- phasis of the importance of news- papers. If, however, one expects to find the Crown Prince's views freer after his sharp criticism of the foreign and $ domestic policy of the Imperial Gov- ernment one will be disappointed. It will be seen that he gained very lit- tle, indeed, from his study of the press and the people, for when he explains what, in his opinion, the any. Government ought to have done fore and during the war he does not bring forth any good ideas. His criticism of the foreign policy is nothing more than every newspaper of to-day knows. He is unable to 7 The Rainbow With original drawings by the author. By BLANCHE McMANUS. HE most popular of all French open air studios are those which lie under the sunlit Mediterranean skies, and this for the reason that the bold, brilliant, some- times even violent, color work of most “moderns” in art blooms best in the wonderfully translucent atmos- phere of this favored coast of blue, the cote d’azur of the French. This terrestrial paradise has a background of amethyst colored mountains and plains of billowy green olive or- chards and rose tinted spring show- ers of almond blossoms. Then, too, it is here, and here alone, that one can paint out of doors all the geasons rounid, with varying ‘palettes, to be sure, but always with palettes bril- lantly set, Like points of punctuation these open air studios dot the curve of the French Mediterranean shore from the Spanish frontier to the west to that of Italy to the east, 250 odd, strung out miles of motifs which, at of a Painter’s Paradise one time or another, have entered into the making of a large percent- 'age of French paintings. Of all the seven ends of the color rainbow at which artists joyously and « confidently hope to locate a fabulous pot of gold by the divining power of their brushes Les Martigues, the trip- let fisher port of the Gulf of Lyons, is easily first and the ‘most impor- tant, the best beloved and the most colorful. It is just a little town of 7,000 people between Marseilles and the mouths of the Rhone, fisher folk for the most part who ply big white Banyules: Sur-Mee Blanche 7 MeAtanud winged tartanes, like exaggerated dories, through the windings of the four narrow canals threading lazily through the centuries old groups of stone walled, tiled roof houses form- ing enchanting little flots, their facades mirrored in Juminous liquid depths. Martigues, the Provencal Venice the painters name. it, knots the’in- land Etang de Berre with the Medi- terranean. It is in truth a miniature Venice—canals, stone arched bridges,, quays, boats of gay colors, old churches and picturesque dwellings, and once in a while something almost an approach to a palatial edifice, Seen through the gold dust radiance of the southern sun one would al- most say that Martigues is on the yellow arch of the rainbow, with a mauve complement. It is on the seventh wave of papu- larity, too, and I have in times past seen half a hundred painters, men and women, of seven nationalities, perhaps more, at work at a sihgle sitting. Paris Salon shows, private exhibitions, one man shows, all are as likely to have more Martigues motifs in their catalog numbers than any others which may be geographi- cally located. There is a picture here to paint on every facet and most have been im- mortalized by celebrities already. To the master, Ziem, can be given the honors as the discoverer of this rav- ishing gpot designed by an artistic Providence to keep an eternal pose of beauty for the painter fraternity. His house is still a shrine for ths art lover, a quaint little ~abanon studio just across from the old bor- digue or fish weir, on the Canal de Caronte, just outside the town. Ziem here built a minareted mosque in miniature and a Moorish house, Copyright, 1922, by The New York Herald. scaled down to pocket handkerchief size, in his garden and imported a black gondola to breed motifs on the backwaters of this “Venise Proven- cale” as models for his ravishing pictures, and it has also been claimed that most of his wonderful African vancases and gorgeous Mediter- ranean sunsets were painted with the white sailed tartanes of Mar- tigues floating by his door. There is a Musee Ziem in the pic- turesque old town hall to which most of us who have enjoyed the artistic hospitality of the.place have contributed a picture, proud to have it shown in the same salle where are exposed the easel and.palette of the Vio Vnt Gouielsp o Foreiment ¢ prove his statement that before the ‘war he was an advocate of the policy of approaching England. Especlally remarkable s the Crown Prince's expression of high regard for Tirpitz, whom he repeat- edly characterizes as “really an ex- traordinarily great person—an orig- inal, strong willed man." It was, however, solely Tirpitz's rejection of the English proposals regarding an agreement with reference to fleet bullding that prevented an agree- ment being reached with England. In spite of the adoption of Tirpitz's action through the blindness of the Foreign Office and Von Buelow’s for- elgn policy, the author maintains that he did not agree with the opin- fon of Tirpitz that it was necessary to prepare for a decisive battle with England at sea. It is perhaps pos- sible that he wants to keep the favor of this ambitious man to aid him in case he should return to the throne. Von Buelow, too, can be satisfled with his criticism, for the author expresses his regret that Von Buelow was not,made Chancel- lor in the summer of 1917. The Crown Prince’s attitude tow- atd Ludendorff is strange. At first he defends him against the criticism that he “took more part in the prob- lems of domestic and foreign policies than he had a right to take as com- mander in chief of the army. He was forced to do s0,” says the au- thor. ‘‘Otherwise nothing would kave been accomplished in the way of solving the imminent problems.” Later he criticizes Ludendorff indi- rectly, in his complaint that the man- ner of censoring the German press prevented the spreading of truth among the German people. Who other than the commander in chief was responsib’ = for the censorship? Again, the Prince admits that he kept “dissuasive” papers from the men at the front. In the same man- ner of criticism he tells how unex- pected was .Bulgaria's collapse for the chief command and accuses it of not having comprehended the situa- tion. He also speaks of Ludendorff's underestimation of the aBlity of the army to keep on fighting. The Prince's sharpest criticlsm of Ludendorf¥ {s found In the book's de- scription of the last phase of the war in October, 1918, and the “calamitous requsst for an armistice,” Certainly it was calamitous. That also was the opinion of Prince Max von Baden, who did not wish to ask for an arm- istice but for peace negotiations as long as the front could be main- tained. But who was it who 80 urg- ently demanded of Prince Max's Government that the request for an armistice be sent off immediately be- cause the front “could not be held for more than twenty-four hours?” It was Ludendorff, although he now tries to forget it as an article in the Sunday Pictorial of London, May 7 and 14 shows when it attributes the whole blame to “a dagger thrust from behind” and to the German people who did not have sufficient moral stamina and endurance. The Prince's word: “A llar is he who says that the fighting spirit on the front had given way” are directed toward Ludendorff, the same Ludendorff wha “lost his nerve” at that time and fled to Scandinavia. Returning to the political views ot the former Crown Prince, his profes, sion of liberal views is poorly sub- staitlated. Although ha maintains that he is.devoted to the English con- stitution and tells how he enjoyed lis- tening to the wise teachings of King Edward VIL_ he does not seem to have learned®much. His whole pre- cepts might just as well have come from a Prussian noble except that the latter probably would have form- ulated them more clearly and would not have tried to carry water on both shoulders by representing him- self as a modern “democrat.” No, this Hohenzollern was not clever enough to act as instructor ot the German people in time of need and the German people need not ex- pect enlightenment from him. He has not the slightest capability of playing the part. Any one who, to use his own elegant expression, “plows through” his book can say only one thing to the author—‘si tacuisses . . /' and every Ger- man who reads it must add: “Ged be praised that the fate of Wilhelm 11 at least spared us this Wilhelm IIL.” maitre, and for this coplribulion we have each received in return @ gold embossed certificate of municipal thanks. Martigues abounds in-a speciouy local art color. The rambling old Hotel Chabas, fashioned from an ancient convent, whose raneyypime’ chapel is now the stable Where coun- try carts and mules and donkeys and sutomobiles on occasion are herded in disused shrines, has always been our favorite gathering place. In its garden, half flowers and half vege- tables, was brought the local butcher’s old white nag that served Hoffbaur for the model in his famous Luxembourg picture, “Coin de Champs de Bataille.” This same garden courtyard has been the battlefield of every xind of artistic ammunition fired across the tables as we used to dine under the great grapevine pergola. On winter evenings we foregathered in the big kitchen, the only warm place in a chimneyless house, where were held provencal cauderies as the Pere Chabas, in white cap and apron, pre- sided over the great hooded chimney place, in which still turned a clock- work spit, and flavored . rich, oily dishes of the “midi” alike with garlic and provencal bons mots as he fash- joned with his own hand the golden hued saffrony bouillabaisse. After Zlem came Galliardini as master of Mediterrancan sketching grounds. His was tlie dominating personality of Martigues canals and dust-white provencal i1oadways. I never knew any painter to work out of doors with all studio comforts as does Galllardini. He always sat in a real chair on a rug, with his faithful old bonne crouched on a lowly stool beside him holding his black lined white umbrella over him and his work, clinging frantically to his easel when the “mistral,” that frigid, er- ratic north wind of the Rhone valley, swept down like a wolf on the artis- tic fold. Jo Pennell etched the Provencal Venice on the American conscious- ness years ago and made those de- lightful pictures of “Play in Prov- ence” and “An Ambassador to Prov- ence” written by his fellow towns- man of Philadelphia, Thomas Jan- vier. Those were the days when N ‘ R Frank Dumond and his brother worked in Martigues with Lucien Abrams, Talcott and Simon and others who have slipped the memory. Latterly Cameron Burnside, Thorn- dike, Grace Ravelin and the War- chowsky brothers, to mention but & few recent Americans, have given it their favor. - To American painters in France Martigues has long been an outdoér Latin Quarter plus. Picabia, the thirty-third degree! free art thinker, painted charming things here before he adopted the labor saving art of pinning objects upon a board and putting a frame around them in a thoroughly Bol- shevik manner instead of painting them. 1t is as difficult to leave Murtigues behind on paper as it is in reality, but from here, bearing down ioward Spain, through tha pebbly Cray and the bad lands of the Camrague and the great vineyard plains of eouthern France, we arrive at another lttle paradise of paintevs, snuggled tlowa up into the corner whare Mediter- ranean France ineets Meaditerranean Spain. It is quite unknown to light footéd tourists; but is a mine of pril- lant gems for those who want to paint the quaint and quiet life of those who go down to the sea'ln 1lttls boats--Port Vendres, Collioure and Banyuls-sur-Mer. This is at the purple end of the Mediterranean rainbow—purple and the complement of orange, we might call {t, for the blues of the Azure coast here take on violet tints from neighboring Iberia and the tones are the rich basses of the gamut of deep harmonies. These fisher folk are fine subjects, with their red Phryglan caps, blue jerseys and brown plaid overall leg- ging to which are attached enor- mous wooden sabots, while the we- men, crowned with white Catalan coiffes, wearing dainty flowered aprons over black dresses, are con- tinually bearing great brown and green pottery jugs from the open alr fountains. All is inspiring, not forgetting the strings of Spanish donkeys, taselled and belled, their owners afoot beside them, out of Spain by the mountain trails of the purple Pyrenees. / N [ Ay ST -