The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07
BREACH BETWEEN KAISER
AND THE CROWN PRINCE
INTERESTS THE GERMANS
Recent Illness of Emperor Called
Especial Attention to His
Successor.
RECKLESS YOUNG MAN
His Athletic Tastes and Daring
Often Cause Him to Risk His
Life Foolishly.
UNFILIAL PROCEEDING
Lack of Intellectual Brilliancy a
Sad Disappointment to His
Royal Father.


his father. the Kaiser, for when it became
known that WilliamII had been operated on
for a growth in the throat which might be
cancerous. all the world began specializing
seriously about the character of his success
sor. The Kaiser has now recovered, but his
health is poor and he has small chance of
reaching a ripe old age. There are many
who are convinced that, in spite of official
assurances to the contrary. the Kaiser car
ries within him the seeds of the terrible
disease which killed his grandfather, father
and mother.
The result is that the crown prince is
being watched with an interest which no.
body felt in him so long as his versatile
father seemed young and healthy. The
Kaiser has taken care that his eldest son.
like all other men Of the Hohenzollern
family. should remain in the background.
The Kaiser is an imperious man, extremely
Jealous Of rivals for public interest in his
own country. and the princes of all the
branches Of the house of Hohenzollern have
been made 10 feel this keenly. Consequent
ly. when public chroniclers begin to sum up
the knowledge of the German crown prince
at their disposal they find that his youthful
royal highness is. TO use a sporting term. a
Importance to the German Empire and to
the world in general. it is surprising how
little has been ascertained and published
about the character. tastes, pursuits and
passions OF Crown Prince Frederick VIII
liam, and disappointing that such details
as have leaked out concerning his sayings
and doings throw somewhat unfavorable
light on his august person.
a DISAPPOINTED FATHER.
The German crown prince is very tall
he stands six feet in his stockings
and OF slender build. though extremely
muscular. From his earliest boyhood he
showed more aptitude for outdoor sports
than for studious pursuits, and il is an
open secret that the Kaiser is bitterly dis
appointed with his firstborn's intellectual
development The expression Of the crown
princes face is now heavy. and if he were
not the son OF monarch he would be re-
garded as rather a dull fellow
The most careful and systematic educa-
tional training imaginable. conducted by
branches. has failed to supply the crown
prince with q mental equipment equal to
that of the average young man in Ger
he Is known TO wish that his second son.
Prince Eitel Fritz. who is exceptionally
bright and brainy. could succeed him on
the throne instead OF his eldest son, or
that the crown prince could borrow his
younger brothers mental qualities
On the other hand, the crown prince ex-
GELS In all sorts OF manly pastmes in which
strength and athletic training are of more
account than brain power. He can box,
wrestle, jump and run uncommonly well;
he Is an expert shot with both rifle and
revolver, a fine swordsman and a perfect
rider. His favOrite pastimes are riding
and shooting. and all his time is devoted
70 hA suit Of
When he Is not riding he is shooting and
when he is net shooting he is riding.
BREACH BETWEEN THEM.
Combined with his physical prowess. ath-
letic skill and sporting propensities. the
crown prince possesses a certain harshness
which has characterized many of the Ho-
henzollern men, as well as a stubborness
which causes him TO insist on having his
own way with unsurpassed obstinacy. In
these circumstances. IL is not surprising
that the Kaiser and the crown prince have
often come into sharp collision with one
another. and that their personal relations
often are extremely cool. The crown prince
inhabits his own little residence at Pots
dam, and father and son 10 not see more
OF one another than is absolutely necessary
The breach between the Kaiser and the
crown prince was widened by an act of
folly committed by the crown prince on
the day on which the operation on the
Kaiser's throat took place. short time
previously the Kaiser had strictly forbid
der his eldest son TO ride in any steeple-
chase races. pointing out that he had not
the right to risk his life in such foolhardy
amusements. Before the operation on the
Kaiser took place no one had the slightest
knowledge OF what was going to happen
except the Empress, the crown prince and
the doctors. on such an occasion, when
q surgical error could easily have cost the
Emperor his life. and. failing this. when the
~ hn hole
10 reveal the presence of cancer In the
kaisers throat. the son might have been
expected 10 remain in close attendance on
his father. eager at any rate, TO hear the
doctors verdict. II not TO encourage the
patient The German crown prince acted
otherwise. Scarcely half an hour before
the operation was performed he had his
horse saddled and rode across to a place
twenty miles distant, where a club of cav
airy officers were holding steeplechase
TWICE IMPRISONED.
Disregarding his fathers wishes and
commands. the crown prince rode in several
races, winning prizes and earning the en-
thusiastic applause OF the spectators by
his reckless daring in squirting his horse
over the obstacles at lightning speed on
returning home late at night. he did not
trouble 10 ride himself TO the imperial resi-
dence 10 see how the operation had turned
out. but contented himself with sending a
servant TO inquire after the Kaiser's condi-
tion OF health. This escapade resulted in
the punishment of the crown prince. not
for lack Of fiial feeling. which the Kaiser
Generously overlooked but for his open
aud defiant disobedience OF the Emperor 5
orders regarding steeplechase races. The
Kaiser. IN his capacity communicating
ehief or the army. sentenced the crown
lrtnce. who has the rank OF lieutenant TO
hree days detention in barracks for dis
0beying the orders OF his superior officers:
and the crown prince was accordingly I'm
Dprisoned In the Potsdam barracks for sew
6nty-twO hours.
This affair embittered the crown prince
against his father. and soon afterward he
committed another indiscreet act TO avenge
himself on the Kaiser The sensation
OF the theatrical season I'm Berlin This
winter has been the production OF Tat
too. n play revealing all the dark sides OF
militaryism IL Germany. The play is re-
garded ~ sedittous and dangerous by the
German powers that-be and in many gar
rison towns the officers have been pro-
hibIfesy from visiting theaters in which N
f. performed. Although fully aware OF
these facts. the crown prince ostenta-
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