Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-10-18
Won SCnUHOucn.

A number of other wealthy Hebrews
in Germany We're also hOnored by the
kaiser in another way. Although he
was averse to visiting the homes of
private individuals who lacked social
standing, he departed from his rule in
their favor and visited their mansions
ostensibly to view their art collections,
but actually to tickle their vanity.
Shortly after Leishman became am
bassador to Germany, the kaiser called
on me. 4
"Your new ambassadors daughter is
the best looking young lady who has
attended our court in many day." he
declared. "Half dozen Of my young
staff officers are very anxious to marry
her. Can you tell NE, Davis, whether
these Leishmans have money!"
If the kaiser despised the American
propensity for money-making, he was
certainly not averse to acquiring
American dollars.
He told me once that every trip the
neutrality-suspicious. liner America
made from New York to Hamburg re-
suited in transferring $15O,OOO from
American to German pockets, and
added: "We're mighty glad to get some
of your American money, I can tell
you."
OF the kaiser's versatility I had
convincing evidence. In his CONVERSE
tons with me We usually wandered
from subject to subject in the most
haphazard manner, and he invariably
displayed q surprising store Of infor.
nation on every topic we touched, and
am not vain enough to believe that
he was so anxious to make favorable
impression upon me that he prepared
for these discussions in advance.
Indeed, the kaiser discussed SO free
~ 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 a tendency he had to trust
every one with whom he came in init
mate contact. For man who was apt
to have SO many enemies, he was less
suspicious than anyone I had ever
met. He seemed to trust every one, and
his sense Of security unloosened his
tongue and made him more laxative,
perhaps, than was always discreet.
The kaiser was very fond Of listen
ing to and telling stories with a point
and would frequently invite me to tell
| him any new one that 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 I 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.
Of a conference between representa-
tives Of all the powers regarding the
\ selection of a king for Albania after
| the Balkan war. Some Of those present
l thought the incumbent ought to be
Catholic, others insisted that a Greek
Catholic was essential, still others
maintained that Mohammedan would
be most logical.
It seemed quite impossible to come
to any agreement as to just what re-
ligion the king of Albania should pro-
fess, and the kaiser had ended the dis
cussion, he said, with the suggestion
"Wcll, gentlemen, If Protestant
won't do, and Roman Catholic won't
do, and Buddhist is out of the ques-
ton, why not select Jew and call him
Jacob the First? He'll have his throat
cut, anyway, in three months !"
The powers did net select Jew, but
the prince of WED, the kaiser's nomf-
nee, was put on the throne, and within
q month or two afterwards had to fee
for his life. @
In referring to Roosevelt's patriotic
offer to lead an army in France. the
kaiser declared that he admired him
for his courage and zeal.
II hear" he said, "that he is now on
his way to Italy. 1t is too bad we did
not postpone our offensive there. Per.
haps we might have captured him.
Wouldn't Teddy look funny in gas
mask" VI
Shortly after the U-boat Deutsch-
land made its successful trip to Amer
lea, the kaiser called on me, and ne
was in very jocdlar frame Of mind.
I happened to mention to him that l
planned to 80 to America the following
summer in connection with the porce-
lain tooth had patented.
"Well, it won't be necessary now.
Davis" he commented. 1--WE can send
the Deutschland over and bring back
q boatload of teeth !"
Elk my teeth well, Davis" he de-
clared on another occasion, $50 that ]
can bite. There are lots of people I
would like to bitew and he snapped
his jaws together in a 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-
| wont him, IN ono nCca sion from show