Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-10-18
The kaisers Dual Personality.

CHAPTER Ill.
The kaiser's Dual Personality.
IfIhad come away from Germany IN
January, 1914, instead Of In January
1918. and had written the impression
I had gained of the kaiser In the ten
years had known him, what raise
picture I would have painted OF the
man as he really is!
It would have been a picture OF a
man who in general appearance ana
bearing was every inch an emperor ana
vet who could exhibit all the courtesy.
affability and gentleness of the most
democratic gentlep,an, man soft OF
eye and kindly in expression, man or
wide reading and attainments-perhaps
the most versatile man in the world, q
man who possessed most alert mind
q remarkable memory and the keenest
observation; a man who was not gem
erous In nature and yet was at times
considerate Of others q man OF charm
ing personality and amiabtlity. II
would have shown man OF unpar-
alleled egotism, man who was I'M
patient of correction and who would
brook no opposition. There might have
been in the picture a suggestion or the
dire lengths to which the man would
20 to have his way, but it would have
been only suggestion.
AS far as it went, the picture would
have been accurate, but it would have
been sadly ncomplete-with all the
lights worked in but lacking all the
shadows.
It took the war and its attendant
horrors to reveal the kaiser In MS
true colors. The war did not change
his character; it uncovered 1t.
Early in my practice happened to
mention to the kaiser that l appre-
ciated the friendliness he showed me
in invariably waving his hand Mt me
as he passed my window when walking
along the Tiergarten.
'sIt's a good advertisement for you,
Davis" he said. '"rhe people see me
waving to you and they know you must
be a good dentist or I wouldn't
come to you. It will help your busi'
4ness!' In every act, he was conscious
of the public.
During that period Of my career In
Berlin, he showed the utmost interest
In my progress and frequently inquired
how my practice was developing.
The first bill rendered him, as ]
have MENTIONED, he doubled. On Q
number Of subsequent occasions, he
paid me more than my bill called FOR.
These Overpayments never amounted
to very much, but they impressed me
because they were so out OF keeping
with the stinginess the kaiser ols-
played in other directions.
From time to time the kaiser sent
or brought me autographed pictures OF
himself or others. At the time OF the
one hundredth anniversary OF Fred
erick the Great, he gave me a picture
Of that monarch. On another occasion,
he presented me with group picture
OF himself surrounded by his family
and dogs. remember his bringing to
me large unframed picture In cele
Dratfon of his silver wedding. 1t >1at
about twenty-four by eighteen inches
in size. 1t showed the kaiserin and
himself in a sort of cloud floating above
a birdseye view Of Berlin, with the
palace and the cathedral dimly seen
below.
o. II don't know just what this master.
piece was meant to signify, but had II
framed and placed it In my office. 1t
evoked from little boy who entered
the room with his mother the follow.
ing astonished remark: "Oh, mother,
look at the kaiser in heaven!"
A postcard picture of the kaiser,
.signed by his own hand, was in his
own estimation one of the most price.
less gifts he could bestow. I remem-
Der his donating one of them to an
American charity bazaar in Berlin to
be auctioned off. He thought that the
fact that the gard came from his i'm
perial majesty gave it q value which
could not be measured. in dollars and
cents. A piece of jewelry or sum
Of money might have been duplicated
or even excelled by a gift of similar
character from any American million
1lIG-lOF WuOSc wealth. luc hulSCA - e
Quently expressed the utmost contempt
but what could surpass the value OF
an autograph Of.the kaiser!
No doubt the royal banquets were
prepared much upon the same prin-
dple, for It was q common saying
among the German aristocracy that one
had better feel well before going to q
banquet at the palace.
happened to mention to the kaiser
the reputation his banquets held among
his people. He was not at all taken
aback. J."
That's good he commented. 1.-THE
Germans are too fat, anyway. The ma
jority Of the people eat too much"
Long after automobiling became
more or less general the kaiser still
employed q horse and carriage for
ordinary travel, relying upon his free
use Of the railways for longer dis
fances. When, however, the reichstag