National Affairs: Political Notes: Nov. 26, 1923

Described as ” clinging shakily to his position,” Herr Gustav Stresemann, German Chancellor, was reported to be coquetting with the idea of strengthening his dictatorship by inviting the wily old diplomatist and former Imperial Chancellor Prince von BÜlow* to accept an important position. General von Seeckt, who commands the entire Reichswehr, would be the strongest man in the directorate, which, besides von Billow, would include such men as Admiral von Vintze and the noted diplomatist von KÜhlmann, and, of course, HerrStresemann. Thus Germany would virtually be under the same rulers as before the War, minus the Kaiser. Even Stresemann is suspected of Royalist sympathies. He later declared, however, that he was not thinking of a directorate and considered that he had strengthened his own position by alienating the support of the ” Anglo-Saxon world and Italy ” from France. Herr Adolf Hitler, known as Bavarian Mussolini, was in the Fortress of Landsberg, about 36 miles west of Munich, by the Bavarian Government for his share in the recent putsch (TIME, Nov. 19).His trial is not likely to take place until after Christmas. Recent despatchesreport that he is critically ill with brain, fever. Dr. Joseph Wirth, ex-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs from May, 1921, to November, 1922, with the exception of a brief period, was reported to be dying in consequence of a stroke of apoplexy.Ex-Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria tried to coalesce the Nationalists under General Ludendorff and the Bavarian Nationalists under Dr. von Kahr, the Bavarian Dictator, by inviting negotiations between the two men. General Ludendorff, however, refused the invitation, which is not surprising considering that the two were mortal enemies during the War in consequence of the Prince having criticized Ludendorff’s methods.

During the past week Dictator von Kahr of Bavaria moved his office from the Infantry barracks, where he had been installed since the Ludendorff-Hitler putsch, to the Government Building. Nothing exciting or interesting in that. But what did cause some gossip was that Dr. von Kahr caused to be raised the old German Flag, black, white and red, instead of the Republican Flag, black, red and gold.

General Erich von Ludendorff was reported about to be forgiven by the Bavarian Government for his part in the recently attempted monarchist putsch (TIME, Nov. 19). His “honorable conduct as a retired officer” and his ” spotless” behavior in the putsch received mention.

The funeral of the fallen monarchist troops took place in Munich. General von Ludendorff headed the procession with the mother of his late servant, Kurt Neubauder, who was killed in the “beer hall brawl,” resting upon his arm. At the grave the General said: “I promise to devote the remainder of my life to the cause for which this man fell. I shall never desert it!”

* Prince von BÜlow was Imperial Chancellor from Oct. 17, 1900 to July 14, 1909.