New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-04
kaiser's New Foreign Minister.

kaiSer's New Foreign Minister
Alfred Won Kider,en- Wachter, who has
just been appointed Minister of Foreign
Affairs in the place Of Baron Schoen (who
takes the place of Prince Radolin as am
bassa COR in Paris, IS one Of the ablest men
OF the German diplomatic service, but is
justly regarded at the Court of St James,
as being strongly prejudiced against Great
Britain.
Although one Of the best known men OF
the immediate encourage OF the Kaiser, he
has on several occasions incurred his dis
pleasure, the last tine being when he took
on himself TO urge his sovereign TO be more
cautious ard reserved than he was in his
dealings with his English relatives and
friends. at the time of his last state visit
with the Empress 10 Windsor, which was
followed by a stay of several weeks at
Highcliffe- The Emperor was at the time
more than usually well disposed toward
everything English-in fact, quite enthusi-
estic-and he not only disapproved Of Ktder-
-wachter's advice. but moreover resent
ed il as q piece of presumption.
On another occasion Kiderlen- Wachter's
REGULAR domestic relations at Bucharest,
where he was Minister Plenipotentiary. be-
came the subject Of q good deal OF unpieas-
ant newspaper publicity. ard once more
put him in the bad graces of the Kaiser,
and especially Of the Empress He gen
orally however, manages 10 recover lost
ground and 10 come up smiling. The fact
ot the matter is that he is very witty, very
amusing and UP TO all sorts Of pranks ana
Jokes. even though he is in the nelghoor-
hood Of sixty. He IS the life and soul OF
the Kaiser's annual yachting parties, ana
his urfailing hunlor, his antics and his IN
i-5ita BILE tai lent for nnirnicry keep everybody,
even the sailors on the Hohenzollern, in
continued roars Of laughter II is on this
account that he Is known in the imperial
circle by the nickname Of August thaL
being the sobriquet given 10 the clowns
which belong TO the variety shows and cir
cuses alb over Continental Europe
He is. however, extremely sensitive 10
neusuaper criticism, and on one OCCASION
when he had been charged by q BerNh
newspaper with having taken advantage
Of the imperial favor won by rairnlcry ana
rracrica! ioktng 10 foster the irritation o.
Fn,neror William against his old chief. ex-
Chancellor Bismarck, and to stand with
Ra~on uoIs1eir and Prince Eulenburg in
the way Of any reconciliation between the
-1-o he CHALLENGED the editor 70 duel IN
mn q bullet through the shoulder OF the
knight Of the Quill
For this escapade Kiderlen-Wachter'
vr,o was al the tine German envoy at the
court of Oldenburg, was condemned TO
three months Imprisonment in fortress,
suelIing being forbidden by German law
His incarceration IL the fortress OF Ehren-
rrei-sreir. on the Rhine, was absolutely IN
precedented. Ambassadors and ENJOYS are
on record as having been imprisoned by
sovereig-s 70 whose courts they were &C
credited n defiance of all the laws OF IN
rernatioral right but this was the first
occasion Of q government taking the IN
heard-of step Of failing one OF It's own
envovs. without even relieving him Of his
Office Fortunately, the Grand Duke Of
c1denburg is a general Of the German
army and as such was disposed TO regard
with the utmost leniency the offence for
which the Prllssian representative at mis-
court was Imprisoned. He realized that
the envoy rad no alternative but 10 fight.
IN obedience 70 the ethics governing or
Acers and society, although opposed 10 the
laws Of the land. During the ENJOYS de-
tention Prussia was represented at his court
hv q charge d'anatres. and as soon as
Kiderlen-wachter had completed his time
h was welcomed back by the grand duke
al Oldenburg, just as If nothing had oc-
Cured
During all the time that Eiderlen-Wach-
re- has been German Minister al Bucharest
and on the many occasions when he re-
placed Barren Marschal Won Bieberstetn az
the embassy at Constantinople for months
together. his policy has been always &C
lively anti English. Indeed, he was per
haps ore Of the most vigorous opponents
Of Great Britain 81 the Balkans and in
the southeast OF Europe.