The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-14
By
Arthur NJ Davis, DDS.
American Dentist
to the Kaiser from
1904 70 1913


he was so anxious to make a favorable
impression upon me that he prepared
for these discussions in advance.
Indeed, the kaiser discussed so free
IL almost every subject that suggested
itself that I often wondered what his
advisors would have said had they
overheard our conversations. His read
mess TO talk to me was undoubtedly
due to tendency he had to trust
every one with whom he came in init
mate contact. For man who was apt
10 nave so many enemies, he was less
suspicious than anyone l had ever
met lie seemed to trust every one. and
his sense of security unloosened his
tongue and made him more taIkative
perhaps, than was always discreet.
Inc kaiser was very fond of listen
ing to and telling stories with a point
ana would frequently invite me to tell
him any new one that 1 might have
heard Some of the stories we ex-
changed were more or less risque and
would be out of place in these pages.
but L do not mean to intimate that
there was anything very much amiss
with them They always amused him
very much and he was quick to catch
the point.
The kaiser's sense of humor fire.
quently exhibited itself. He told me
OF a conference between representa-
ives OF all the powers regarding the
selection of a king for Albania after
the Balkan war. Some of those. present
thought the incumbent ought to be a
catholic was essential, still others
maintained that a Mohammedan would
be most logical.
1t seemed quite impossible to come
TO any agreement as TO Just what re-
l1gfon the king of Albania should pro-
TESS, and the kaiser had ended the dis
cuSS1On, he said. with the suggestion:
We'll, gentlemen, if a Protestant
won't do, and Roman Catholic won't
do, and Buddhist is out of the cues
uon' why not select d Jew and call him
Jacob the First? He'll have his throat
cut, anyway, in three months!"
The powers did not select a Jew, but
the prince Of Wied, the kaiser's nomi-
nee, was put on the throne, and within
a month or two afterwards had to flee
for his life
In referring to ROOseveIt's patriotic
offer to lead an army in France, the
kaiser declared that he admired him
for his courage and zeal
81 hear" he said, chat he is now on
his way to Italy. It is too bad we did
not postpone our offensive there. Per
haps we might have captured him.
Wouldn't Teddy look funny in a gas
mask?'
Shortly after the U-boat Deutsch-
land made its successful trip to Amer
lea, the kaiser called on me, and he
was in a very jOcular frame of mind.
1 happened to mention to him that 1
planned to go to America the following
summer in connection with the porce-
lain tooth I had patented.
''Well, it won't be necessary now,
Davis" he commented. eve can send
the Deutschland over and bring back
a boatIOad of teeth"
Elk my teeth well, Davis" he de-
clared on another occasion, $50 that I
can bite. There are lots of people
would like to bite!" and he snapped
his jaws together in way that would
have BODIED i'll for the victims he had in
mind, although his remark was evil
IDENTIFY more facetiOus than vicious.
The courtesy and affability which
the kaiser almost invariably displayed
in his relations with me did not pre-
vent him on one occasion from show
ing his Indignation when I touched him
upon what was evidently a very sore
point-the part that America was GO
ing to play in the war, although he al
ways claimed to be unperturbed about
the American situation.