The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-05-14
~ CARL w. AcKERmAN

~ CARL w. AcKERMAN
tcoyprisht, 1917, The Tribuns Asseeia-
ton. Registered according to the Copy
right Act Canada, 1917, BY The TrIo-
une Assoelation.)
Many Americans ask whether the
Crown Prince Is popular with the Ger
man people, believing that the hatred
and suspicion outeide Of Germany Is
true in the Fatherland The Crown
Prince 10 not only popular with the
people but his popularity Is due to MS
democracy and to the love whAch the
German people have for the Crown
Princess. who IL considered the most
beautiful woman In Germany.
II may seem surprising to speak OK
the Grown Prince a. being democratic
and still have seen him In Berlin at
times when he has won the sympatny
OF many persona 40 he rode through
the streets or walked down Inter Den
Linden with his small sons. In January
~hortiy before diplomatic relations
were broken I got glimpse OF His I'M
perial and Royal Highness on Inter
den Linden. To fully understand what
the German people mean. when they
say that the Grown Prince Ia demo.
cratic one must not forget that 1t Is
customary for an officer always 10
salute in the formal Prussian way
when he Is greeted by any one else.
The Crown Prince. who ts LIEUTENANT
general in the army. naturally should
follow this custom, but this Is what
observed last January. ~
The Crown Prince came from the
Cathedral and stepped into his racing
type automobile taking the chauffeur
seat He put In the front seat beside
him two Of his children. The chauffeur
sat in the back seat. The Crown Prince
started the engine and drove the ma
chine up Inter den Linden through
Brandenburger Thor, to Bellevue
Palace. AS he passed. groups OF sol
diers and people on the sidewalks and
in the streets waved and saluted but
the Crown Prince instead OF returning
the formal salute by touching his cap
waved his hand or the hand OF one OF
his sons to the crowd.
Made "Hit" With the People.
It made hit" with the people es-
pecially when he smiled as they waved
to him. The Kaiser, OF course, would
never do this and the times ! have
seen His Majesty in Berlin he always
wore a very serious expression and re
turned the greetings OF the people by
the most formal military salute, as If
q smile or wave Of the hand would pain
him
Last fall the Crown Prince came to
Berlin and walked down one OF the
busy thoroughfares with his oldest
son, also Prince William. who, although
only ten years old, is lieutenant IN
the army. The Crown Prince, who
could make no progress because the
crowds were so thick about him. and
because SO many people wanted TO
shake his hand, was compelled to get
into carriage and return to his palace
on Inter den Linden.
This mixing with the people has en-
deared the Kaiser's son to more Ger
mans that the outside world believes.
The respect which the soldiers have
for the Crown Prince is illustrated by
an incident which happened to young
German boy who acted as my secre-
tary at one time. He was sent to Ser
bia during the operations there. was
commended for bravery as an observer,
and recommended to receive the Iron
Cross. Before it could be given to him
he was sent to the battlefield of Yer
dun. One day, during the operations.
he was informed by the captain OF the
company that the Crown Prince would
deliver the Iron crosses to those who
had been recommended for the honor.
This young chap, who had spent most
Of his life in the United States and
Mexico. was drilled about week in
advance by the officers, until he, to-
sether with his comrades, could
goosestep and salute as perfectly as a
machine might do 1t or a mechanical
toy. Then upon the appointed day. the
Crown Prince appeared to distribute
the Iron crosses.
Did Net Get Cross From Prince.
BY some mishap the boys name was
left. off the list. The Crown Prince
did not speak to him as he did to the
ether soldiers and officers who were
recomm ended for bravery. Instead, he
received his cross a week later, but
he never forgot the fact that he did not
get the cross from the Grown Prince
himself.
Another thing which makes the
Crown Prince popular with the people
. is the treless activity Of his wife,
Crown Princess Cecilia. in behalf OF
the wounded and the wives of soldiers
In Berlin. The Crown Princess can be