Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-10

I out undue haste was the receipt early
| in the year of a most extraordinary
postcard from the Kaiser which, it
occurred to me, was quite signifi-
cant as to his intentions regarding
my welfare. On one side was his
picture and on the other, written
and signed in English in his own
handwriting, was the message:
Dear Doctor Davis:
Wishing you very good year
for 1917.
! William I. r."
This was the first message of its
kind that 1 had ever received from
the Kaiser. Even in peace times,
the picture postals which he had
sent to me from time to time and
which were autographed by him,
were always signed in German.
When, on February 1st, the Ger
mans resumed their ruthless sub
marine warfare-a move which was
Immediately followed by the break
! ing off of diplomatic relations-I
felt that the Kaiser must have fore
seen this consequence and had sent
me the postal as an intimation that
he wanted me to remain in Berlin
nevertheless.
When war was declared, therefore,
l was thoroughly satisfied that
while l had become an alien-enemy,
l was nevertheless a sort of privi-
legged character and could remain in
Berlin with more or less impunity un-
til I was quite ready to leave. Leav-
ing Berlin was going to entail great
personal sacrifice on my part In
fOnFfaan
city l had built up a substantial and
lucrative practice of a character that
would never be able to duplicate.
Notwithstanding the strained rela-
tions which had existed between nv
country and Germany long before
the diplomatic break actually came,
few of my patients had deserted me.
and even when war was declared this
situation was not altered a particle
PerhapS the fact that the Kaiser
nlmSet continued to come to me
Tor treatment restrained others who
might otherwise have been disposed
10 give me UP from doing so al
though some of my patients did not
hesitate to express the opinion that
while 1T was quite all right for them
to visit me. it was most unpatriotic
FOR the Kaiser to do so in view of
the fact that I was an alien-enemy.
While, however, the fact that NV
personal safety was guaranteed. T
had been led to believe. by no less a
power than that of the Kaiser him
SELF, that there was little cause to
hasten my departure from Berlin.
and, on the other hand, a flourish
ing practice gave me most persua-
sive reasons for remaining. There
were three reasons, however. which
lmpelled me to settle up my affairs
and return home just as soon as I
could possibly arrange to do so.
I When the Germans sank the Lusi-
tania, living and practicing in Co,
many lost mucn of their attra ctions
for me. I made up my mind then
that I would rather return home
ana commence my professional
career all over again, If necessary.
than remain in country which
could sanction such a hideous form
OF warfare-the wanton destruction
of women and children. To that end
went to New York in the summer
of 1915 to investigate the REQUIRE
ments for the practice of my pro-
fession in that state. 1 had an IL
linois license, but 1 wanted to be in
a position to practice in New York
and the following year I went to
New York again and took the state
dental examination. I returned to
Germany late in the autumn of 1916
and later I learned that nv certifi
cate had been granted. Then I COM
menced active preparations to dis
pose of my German practice and re-
turn home.
My second reason for wanting to
get out of Germany as soon as pos
sible was the fact that food condi-
tions in Germany were becoming
more precarious every day. MY wife
and I feared that our child, who
was two years old, might suffer from
lack of proper nourishment if we re-
NAMED and I determined that no
matter how long it might be neces-
sary for me to remain in Berlin. nv
wife and child at any rate should
leave at the earliest possible moment
My third reason, however, was by
far the most insistent of all.
I had become convinced that what
knew of the Kaiser and his plans.
now that we were at war, ought to
be communicated to America with
| out delay and that the only way to
| do that adequately would be to get
home as soon as I possibly could, no
matter what personal sacrifice might
be involved in abandoning by Euro
pean practice and interests.
| 1t is true that in the earlv wears
of my relationship with the Kaiser
our conversations naturally am
braced only the most general of