The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-13

"She was always extravagant. and her
family were no less so. She needed
great deal of money, and being Il brilliant
woman she either seized or created a
great opportunity. This was not long
before you saw her at Sandown
Rhodes, as everybody knows, has
one great plan to which all Others are
subsidiary. This is the Cape to Caro-
railway This is to he his monument,
the lasting basis of his fame. That we
owe the Boer war to this little ambition
on his part we did not perhaps need
the Jameson raid to prove. He ar
ranged matters so that Chamberlain had
to go to war.
There has BEEN however, one in
superable obstacle to the railway
Germany. The proposed line must run
through German south Africa and there
is no way to avoid this Rhodes could
make no living terms with the Germans.
ANY railway through their territory
must he their own and entirely under
their control. This was impossible. 1t
took the control out of his hands and
upset all his plans, financial and per-
sOnal.
about this time Princess Radziwill
arrived one morning at the Hotel Carl
ton. Before trunk was unpacked she
who immediately answered in person. She
told him she wished to meet Cecil
Rhodes and said enough to induce the
German ambassador to bring MIR. Rhodes
there rs soon as might he, which was
on the following morning.
"She talked to MIR. Rhodes as one
having authority and induced him to
accompany her to Berlin on the day fol-
lowing He did so, and upon arriving
at Berlin was taken by her straight to
the Emperor.
ain one short interview the whole
thing was settled. Rights of way and
land subsidies were generally agreed
upon, the only reservation being the
control of the telegraph. which Rhodes
conceded. War restrictions. etcetera.
were settled on general lines. details
and specifications being left TO the secre-
tarics. Then the English press, aston
ishcd at the suddenness of the coup,
blazcd out in large print eulogles OF Mr.
Rhodes mastery diplomacy, and, be-
tween the lines, wondered how on earth
he had managed to accomplish it:
"He had actually done very little in
the matter, the moving force having
been the wit and wisdom of Princess
Radziwill, and her influence in the high
est quarters of German diplomacy.
How She induced the Emperor to take
this step, and what his position and
designs in the combination were and
are, are matters of conjecture. So, also,
was her position in the matter on the
Emreror's side So fer AS Rhodes was
concerned, however, she had a definite
agreement If she obtained for him
the German concession she was to re-
ccive in land, shares and otherwise the
sum of nine hundred thousand pounds.
"Rhodcs came back from Berlin, and
she shortly followed. Soon afterward
Mr.. Bourchier F. Hawkcslev, Rhodes
solicitor, accompanied the Princess to
st. Petersburg. and there paid various
debts of hers, including mortgages upon
her estates. upon which foreclosure had
been suspended, to the tune of Sl60,OO0
$500. 000).
"Shc remained for a short time in st.
Petersburg, and then came back here
and stopped at the Hans Crescent Hotel
in sloane Street After a week there.
she went to Sandown and remained hid
den there until Rhodes sailed from
Southampton for South Africa, when she
joined him on the Scot
"Shc went out to South Africa to
represent the German interest. to assist
the Rhodes plan and to help materialize
the immense fortune which personally she
had a chance to realize. Her cOnnec-
ton with the whole matter is a secret;
but it has leaked out in certain circles,
IL.