The Dickinson press., 1891-05-30
TALKING WITH MOLTKE.
Ex-PREslDENT ANDREW D. WHITES
DESCRIPTION OF HIM.
He Met Him at n Reception in Berlin on
tho Occasion of the Golden Wedding of
the Old Emperor William-lsaron No.
thOmb's Eclicitous Introduction.

omb E.licitous introduction.
By many people ex-President Andrew
ID. White, OF Cornell university, cX-lnin-
lister to Germany, is regarded us one Of
the best authorities on German affairs in
the United States. Years of patient study
and observation give great weight to his
views on the new Germany of today.
Regarding the great German soldier
and strategist the ex-prcsident says:
l first saw Won Moltke just after my
arrival at Berlin at the festivals attend
ant upon the golden wedding of the old
Emperor William. The first of these
was a great theatrical representation at
the Royal Opera house, ut which the
emperor and empress and very nearly all
the crowned heads of Germany, with
representatives of the various royalties
of Europe, We're present, and besides
these, attracting even more attention,
Bismarck, Won Moltke and the leading
generals of the Franco-P russian war.
The appearance of these people ome
back before me very wildly, but no n
is more distinctly present to me than Won
Moltke. He seemed absolutely different
from every other parsonage in that great
hall. lie was a tall, spare man, his face
Il mixture of determination and kindli-
ness, his whole appearance, rs moro than
one person has said at various times,
being that of an intelligent, kindly col
lcge professor or schoolmaster.
There was something singularly gen.
tie about his whole bearing, yet it was
impressive. He sat very quietly, exchang-
ing some little conversation with his next
ncighbor, Manteuffel, the dreaded vice
roy of Alsacc-Lorraine. The contrast
between the two was very marked-Man-
t%euffel, apparently, all keenncss and Sc
verify, Won Moltkc firm, but gentle.
INTRODUCED BY BARON NoTHoMB.
When | next saw him it was at an
evening gathering where there was not a
large number present, and where l had
the opportunity to %converse with him. !
was introduced to him by the dean of the
diplomatic corps, Baron Nothomb, some
times called 1.-The father of constitution
al liberty in continental Europe" a man
of very wide political knowledge and
who more than once, as | sat at the table,
gave me accounts of his conversations
with Talleyrand and other men of the
first Napoleonic period.
Baron Nothomb in presenting me to
Won Moltke took advantage of a little
sketch published in one of the German
newspapers, and said: "Sir Field Marshal,
wish to make you acquainted with a
gentleman who was born in Homer, who
lives in Syracuse and who has aided in
founding a university at Ithaca"
At this Won Moltke laughed pleas
antly, and evidently did not understand
the allusion, whereupon l told him that
in the earlier days of this country we
had a way of naming our townships and
villages after noted heroes of antiquity,
but at present we did better, naming
them after the great men of these times,
aud telling him that no doubt in the
newer states he would find his own
nalne and that of Bismarck attached to
some of younger towns. He seemed
interested in this and talked on very
pleasantly.
Hook back to that evening as one Of
the most interesting during my stay in
Germany.
MOLTKE IN PARLIAMENT.
At various other times | met Won
Moltke, but do not recall anything of cs-
pecial interest. No man was more free
from the slightest tincture of vanity. AS
he walked through the streets and in the
parks, going to and from the office of the
general staff, he was undistinguishable
save by his tall, scholarly form from the
crowd of military men about him. lie
evidently wore just as little in the shape
of orders and decorations as was permits
sible.
at court he was expected, of course,
to appear in more splendid attire, but
even then there was always the same
quiet modesty and simplicity. He seemed
to me in some respects "the noblest Ro-
nan Of them all"
But perhaps his most impressive ap-
pearance was IS a member of the i'm
perial parliament. From time to time
as l happened in to hear the discussions
l saw him i'll his seat, quiet, imperturba-
BILE; but oil two occasions I heard him
speak, and on each Of these his subject
was the necessity of larger votes of
money and men to maintain the mill
tary supremacy of Germany.
Nothing could be better in their way
than these speeches of his. He looked
and spoke as l could imagine julius
Caesar looked and spoke in the Roman
senate. Nothing could be more simple
and yet nothing more effective. He was
listened to by men of all parties with the
utmost respect.
He seemed to stand in a sense aloof
from all parties, and to be guided simply
and solely by what he considered the
best interests of the German empire. On
hearing him speak one could not resist
this conclusion, and as his manner was
simple, voice good and statements very
clear, direct and strong, but without the
slightest tendency to exaggeration, his
words carried great weight.
remember hearing him say in sub
stance in n of these speeches that
Germany must be prepared for any
emergency, and must maintain the very
highest condition of military efficiency
possible for at least fifty years. And !
remember, too, with what a sort of sol
emnizing effect these words, quietly ut.
tered, but evidently the result Of con.
viction based on knowledge, had upon
the audience. They seemed to carry &
sense of responsibility to the heart Of
every person present.-New York Her.
aid,