GERMANY: Regime of Dictators

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His Record. Dr. von Kahr is a Monarchist to the marrow and pins his faith on the Wittelsbach dynasty, he himself being avowedly Crown Prince Rupprecht's state agent. As Premier of Bavaria in 1921 he organized the famous Einwohnerwehr (Home Guards), which led to his resignation, because the Federal Government in Berlin professed to see in them a " grave danger to the State." He now declares that the Treaty of Versailles is dead and that the French killed it. "We have given up passive resistance, but we no longer recognize the Treaty of Versailles. The French themselves broke it; let the French do what they like." In a recent speech he prophesied that " Bavaria would soon bring about historical happenings in the world." He ended his speech with hock's for King Rupprecht of Bavaria. Dr. Von Kahr is reported a Separatist; that is, he believes in the secession of Bavaria from the Reich, although he denied such allegations. It seems, however, that he is playing a bigger game. It is rumored, not without good foundation, that he intends to promote the Wittelsbachs to the place in the sun left vacant by the head of the Hohenzollerns. Perhaps that is the reason why he telephoned to Berlin and assured the Government of his loyalty to the Reich. The chances of such a coup are on the face of it good. The Allies, confronted with a fait accompli, would hesitate to take any costly action against Germany; moreover, Prince Rupprecht is known to be a thoroughly trustworthy and practical man and as such is respected; he is also cousin of the Queen of the Belgians. The real barriers to the Wittelsbach aspirations lie in the fact that North Germany is Protestant and Bavaria Catholic; and that a Dictator has been appointed for the whole Reich, who will assuredly oppose strenuously any activity on the part of Rupprecht of Bavaria.

His Master. Amid scenes of great enthusiasm Crown Prince and Princess Rupprecht of Bavaria were hailed as King and Queen of Bavaria. The Prince was accompanied by Dictator von Kahr and many of the aristocracy. It was the first public appearance of the Dictator, and the occasion was a reunion and grand celebration of the veterans of the Leibregiment, the defunct Royal Bodyguard, disbanded by order of the Allies under the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty. Twenty thousand men responded to the roll-call of the regiment. It was pointed out that if 20,000 men answered the call of one regiment, it is reasonable to presume that 6,000,000 men of the defunct German Imperial Army would answer to a Monarchist bugle call. The event in Munich shows that the possibility of Prince Rupprecht being officially proclaimed König von Baiern (King of Bavaria) is not remote. Berlin circles had it that the Prince will bide his time until he can secure nomination as Kaiser over the whole Reich.