New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-09
The Kaiser In His DUN Home fown
Blu Frances c. Fay


The man on whose head rests the re-
sponsibility for this awful world connagra'
ton is known in this country practically
as nothing but the ruthless soldier, inc
clumsily intriguing diploma,ist and the idol
of his misguided, uniformed people
There is, however, another side TO VIII
helm II: and before the war there was
side TO the peoples Of Germany, even to the
people of Prussia, that might well have led
them to repudiate the words and acts o.
their Kaiser since August, 1914, if in war
they had retained the judgment they showed
in peace.
A couple of years after the hundred days
reign of Frederick III the Flooding mind of
the German people irked with misgivings.
The young Emperor dropped the pilot
making his first yelled declaration of divine
right, and soon extended his imperial in
fallibility to his person as war lord, poet
composer, dramatist, preacher, protector
and critic of all the arts.
To those Germans who had sincerely
/ loved their "alter Kaiser" for his kindll-
ness and for his wisdom in choosing advisers
and helpers capable OF supplementing his
own deficiencies in statecraft; to those
who had fairly adored Kaiser Friedrich, who,
in their imagination, was ever riding his
steed to the victory of Weissenburg or lyIrg
on his bed of pain, Wilhelm II was but an
overgrown, turbulent, many gifted young
ster whose misfortune it was to have opened
his eyes in palace instead of nut. ana
to have had from birth the freedom OF the
snaffe when a double bit might have broken
him TO harness.
So Germany laughed between frowns, and
"simplicissimus" set its fangs into his multi
farious majesty.
His First Offence
Berlin's first protest against Wilhelm the
Petronius Arbter came when he chose the
plans for its new cathedral. 1t was all very
well 70 listen to the Kaiser's Song OF
Aegir" everywhere, from concert hall to
market place, or to give up the opera house
for few nights to his gorgeously staged
ballet-pantomme "Sardanapale,' but 1t
would never do to let the old city be blem-
ished by Hohenzoli. IN art. Berlin did not
forget the two great vases of Prussian blue
lapis lazuli set upon manteipiece OF
spinach-and-egg onyx by the color blind "old
Emperor" nor the other impossible comblna-
tons of colors, forms and styles prevalent
in Hohenzollern dwellings, from the POM
nous palaces to the humble hunting lodges.
They had been pointed out by respectfully
apologize guides to hundreds Of visitors.
1t was imperative to check the young
Kaiser's tendency toward expansion in the
artistic field. But Wilhelm could not easily
be stoned, for the Mayor of Berlin played
into his hands. With dynamic energy the
Kaiser proceeded to stud the gentle old ave-
nue. in the park, the "Siegesallee," with what
were called "the white dolls" from the
Hohenzollern family tree, and then to erect
four glaring white marble horrors, arranged
in semicirce to face the venerable old
Brandenburger Thor: two fastidous foun-
tains fanking the heroic statues OF Will
helms parents, the ill-fated Frederick and
the Empress Victoria, daughter OF Britalns
Queen.
Something had to be done to prevent more
crimes against good taste. Berlin thought
the matter over and elected a Socialist
Mayor, and in spite of the imperial veto
emphatically insisted on its choice-till his
majesty yielded with i'll grace.
taught him to yield in the nearly thirty
years of his reign. Every one knows the
instance when Chancellor and Reichstag
muzzled their too earrulOus sovereign after
the blunder of the divine right speech at
Konigsberg.
Not long before that Berlin had had an
example of Wilhelm unrestrained. II was
at the unwilling of the fountain of Neptune
in front of the imperial schloss. The city,
having paid for it, wanted it to face the
CITY, The Kaiser, having given permission
for its emplacement, wanted it to face his
palace. The city had its way; Neptune
turned his back on the Kaiser The Mayor
was making his dedication speech when
like the ghost of Banquo, the Kaiser APP
reared at the feast and vented his spiteful
wrath on all concerned. Even his own press
agents had to call the incident most re-
grettable."
Not that the capital entertained stand
+ ing feud against the imperial pest. It mere