Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-09-19


discuss the situation with him. Or
fortunately, however, / found him to
i'll to receive me. He was eighty year
old and, although unusually well pre-
served, was in no condition on thi
occasion to receive visitors.
Another influential patient of min
whom / sought out at this time wa
ex-Ambassador Won Sturm. Although
he was now retired from official life
he had formerly been a powerful fig
ure in German state circles and still
kept more or less in touch with the
new court chamberlain and others il
high Office. His nephew was under
secretary of foreign affairs.
L found the ex-ambassador at his
private apartment in the Adlon hotel
What will happen to Americans
l asked, ''if my country declares war
against Germany"
THAT, doctor, will depend entirely
upon how America treats our sub
jects," he replied, somewhat more
coldly than had expected of him. "If
America interns Germans, of course,
we shall undoubtedly treat Americans
the same way, and you could hardly
, expect any special consideration, al
though, if you will write letter to the
court chamberlain, who is a personal
friend of mine, 1 shall see that he gets
it"
"But, excellency," replied, "there is
a treaty between Germany and Amer
lea, understand, which gives the sub
jects or citizens of one country who
happen to be SOjOurning in the other
when war is declared nine months
within which to close up their affairs
and leave. Would not that protect
me?"
"Of course, DOCTOR" he answered,
Germany will respect the treaty if
America does, and then there will be
no trouble. 1t seems to me you must
await developments and, in the mean
time you have no cause for worry"
Suppose some of your subjects in
America should act up and start
blowing up bridges or munition fac
tories and should be lynched, which
they probably would be-" 1 suggested,
what would Germany's course beF"
what Germany would do then,
DOCTOR" he replied, slowly and
thoughtfully, as though such a contin-
gency had never occurred to him be-
fore-''really, doctor, l don't know
what we would dol"
This somewhat unsatisfactory inter-
view with Won Sturm might have wor-
ried me more, perhaps, had it not been
for a visit l received only q day or
two later from Prince Won Pless, one !
of the kaiser's closest friends and ad- |
visors, who called on me profession |
ally. For year and half the kaiser |
had had his great army headquarters |
at the princes palace at Pless, in
Germany, and 1 knew
that he enjoyed his monarch's conf
dence.
When I asked him regarding the |
possible internment of Americans, he
and my family had not the slightest
reason for alarm.
mo matter what may befall other
DOCTOR" he asserted, in
1 confidential manner, "the kaiser has
gone on record to the effect that you
md your family are not to be mo-
ested."
Another incident which made me
eel that L could proceed with my prep
lrations for leaving Berlin without IN
lue haste was the receipt early in the
ear of most extraordinary post card
rom the kaiser which, it occurred to
ne, was quite significant as to his in
entions regarding my welfare. On one
ide was his picture and on the other,
written and signed in English in his
wn handwriting, was the message:
Dear Doctor Davis:
wishing you very good year for
OF. WILLIAM /. RI
This was the first message of its
ind that l had ever received from the
aiser. Even in peace times, the pic
ire postals which he had sent to me
rom time to time and which were
autographed by him, We're always
gned in German. When, on February
the Germans resumed their ruth
IS submarine warfare move which
as Immediately followed by the 6
reaking off Of diplomatic relations-I l
1T that the kaiser must have fore
zen this consequence and had sent S
e the postal as an intimation that S
: wanted me to remain in Berlin v
@
When the Germans sank the Lusi- 2
mia, living and practicing in Ger f
any lost many of their attractions p
+ me. made up my mind then that h
would rather return home and COM t
ence my professional career all over v
,ain, If necessary, than remain In q e
untry which could sanction such a p
deous form of warfare-the wanton IL
struction of women and children. To "
at end, l went to New York in the
miner of 1915 to investigate the re- p
irements for the practice of my pro- fl
Ssion in that state. had an Illinois h
httf n f1 hs In, n