The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-12-13

, | passed law competing royalty 10 pa
d for their railroad travel, the kaise
e took to automobiles. They charge
u him II, 900 marks, he told me, for tn
: use of a train on one of his shootin
e trips, and that apparently was NOR
than he could stand.
autos are expensive" he declared
"but they don't cost me that much"
The kaiser speaks English with Blu
the slightest trace of foreign accent
1 His diction Is perfect. He speak
=, French too. very fiuently, and, I be
! lieve, Italian. He is widely read OF
1 almost all subjects and knows the lit
: erature of England, France and Amer
: lea as well as that of Germany. MARI
Twain was one Of his favorite Amer
/ lean authors and Longfellow his choice
of American poets.
He prides himself on his acquain
lance with history and has little re
spect for the political opinions of 9th
ers whose knowledge of history is less
; complete.
Shortly after Carnegie had donated
five million marks to Germany to fur
talking to the. kaiser Of American mil
lionaires and the steelmaster was
mentioned.
"Of course, Carnegie is a nice old
man and means WELL" remarked the
kaiser, condescendingly, "but he is to-
tally ignorant of world history. He's
just advanced us five million for
world-peace. We accepted it naturally,
but, of course, we intend to continue
our policy of maintaining our army and
navy in full strength"
| Indeed, there is hardly any subject
to which the kaiser has devoted any
considerable attention In which he
! doesn't regard himself as the final au-
| thority.
| AS an art collector and antiquarian
he claims first place and he is rather
| inclined to feel that second place
should be left vacant. He Always re-
sented very much the acquisition by
American millionaires Of art treasures
and antiquities which their wealth en-
abled them to buy, but which their
limited acquaintance with history and
their lack of culture and refinement
made them unable to appreciate-in
the kaiser's estimation.
OF his own taste in art little need be
said. The monuments which he caused
to be erected to his ancestors and their
advisors and which adorn' the Sieges
Alice, the street he had opened through
the Tlergarten especially for them, are
at the same time monument to the
kaiser's ideas of art. They are the
laughing-stock of the artistic world.
They have been SO frequently defaced
by vandals whose artistic taste they
offended that 1t was necessary to sta
ton policemen in the Sieges Alice to
guard them. Not long ago a burglary
occurred in the vicinity. The burglars
were observed while at work and a
startled civilian rushed to the Sieges
Alice to summon one of the officers
who were known to be on guard there. |
eff you hurry" exclaimed the civil
ian, excitedly, "you can catch these |
burglars red-handed."
I'm sorry," replied the policeman, |
"But cannot leave the statues"
Realism is the kaiser's idea of what |
is most desirable in dramatic art. |
When he put on "Sardanapal," Greek
tragedy in pantomime, at the Berlin
opera house, he sent professors to
the British museum to secure the most
detailed information available regard
ing the costumes of the period. Every
utensil, every article of wearing ap-
parel, every button, every weapon, In
fact, every property used in the play
were to be faithfully reproduced, par
ticular pains being taken to produce a
most realistic effect In funeral pyre
scene in which a king ended his life.
The kaiser sent me tickets to see it.
King Edward attended the perform
ance at the Berlin Royal opera and /
asked the kaiser how the king Of Eng
land enjoyed It.
my gracious" the kaiser replied,
unable to repress his satisfaction at
the effect the pantomime had had on
his royal uncle, "why, the king was
very much alarmed when the funeral
oyre scene came on. He thought the
whole opera house was on f1rei'
Perhaps the kaiser's love for details
night be attributed to his keen obser-
ration. Nothing, no matter how triv-
al, escaped his attention.
A couple of years before the war
lad the empire furniture in my wait
ng room reupholstered- On the very
irst occasion Of the kaiser's calling at
ny Office after the change he noticed 1t.
my, my, how beautiful the chairs
ook I" he exclaimed. Good enough for
Napoleon himself"
On another occasion, between two of
he kaiser's visits, / had had put up
n the waiting room a new portrait Of
Hrs. Davis. The kaiser noticed 1t the
he came into the room and
made some complimentary remark
bout 1t.
The kaiser frequently accused the
americans of being dollar-worshipers
nd the English Of being ruled by
dammon, but that he himself was not
otally unmindful Of the value and
'ower Of money was clearly revealed
y the manner In which he catered to |
'eople Of wealth In recent years.