The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-12-06

OI my OIueSL pdlIculo anu OeClueU I
| discuss the situation with him. Or
fortunately, however, found him to
| Ill to receive me. He was eighty year
| old and, although unusually well pre-
served, was in no condition on thi
occasion to receive visitors.
Another influential patient of min
whom I sought out at this time wa
ex-Ambassador Won Sturm. Although
he was now retired from Official life
he had formerly been a powerful flg
ure In German state circles and still
kept more or less In touch with thu
new court chamberlain and others II
high Office. His nephew was undsl
secretary of foreign affairs.
l found the ex-ambassador at hi.
private apartment In the Adlon hotel
"What will happen to Americana
I asked. IF my country declares wal
against GermanyT
THAT, doctor, will depend entirely
upon how America treats our sub.
ljects," he replied, somewhat more
coldly than had expected of him. IF
America interns Germans, of course,
we shall undoubtedly tree. Americans
the same way, and you could hardly
expect any special consideration, al
though, If you will write letter to the
court chamberlain, who is a personal
friend of mine, shall see that he gets
it."
"But, excellency," I replied, there Is
a treaty between Germany and Amer
| lea, understand, which gives the sub
jects or citizens Of one country whs
happen to be sojourning in the other
when war is declared nine months
within which to close up their affairs
and leave. Would not that protect
me7
"Of course, DOCTOR" he answered,
Germany will respect the treaty If
America does, and then there will be
no trouble. 1t seems to me you must
await developments and, In the mean
time you have no cause for worry"
Suppose some of your subjects In
America should act up and start
blowing up bridges or munition fac
tories and should be lynched, which
they probably would be-" I suggested, |
what would Germany's' course be7'
what Germany would do then, |
DOCTOR" he replied, slowly and |
thoughtfully, as though such a contin-
gency had never occurred to him be-
fore-''really, doctor, don't know
what we would dol"
This somewhat unsatisfactory inter-
view with Won Sturm might have wor-
ried me more, perhaps, had 1t not been
for visit l received only a day or
two later from Prince Won Pless, one
Of the kaiser's closest friends and adj
visors, who called on me profession
ally. For year and half the kaiser
had had his great army headquarters
at the princes palace at Pless, in
Germany, and I knew
hat he enjoyed his monarch's conf
ience.
When I asked him regarding the
,ossible internment Of Americans, he
assured me that, come what might, I
md my family had not the slightest
eason for alarm.
"No matter what may befall other
DOCTOR" he asserted, In
confidential manner, "the kaiser has
one on record to the effect that you
nd your family are not to be mo-
.sted."
Another incident which made me
eel that could proceed with my prep !,
rations for leaving Berlin without I'M
hoe ha Int Ii T. | u
ear of a most extraordinary post card E
'om the kaiser which, it occurred to )
lie, was quite significant as to his in a
,ntions regarding my welfare. On one g
de was his picture and on the other,
ritten and signed In English In his c
wn handwriting, was the message: p
Dear Doctor Davis:
wishing you a very good year for :
III. WILLIAM L R."
This was the first message Of It's /"
nd that had ever received from the .
User. Even In peace times, the pic :,
re postals which he had sent to me
ON time to time and which were o.
ltographed by him, were always n
gned In German. When, on February =,
the Germans resumed their ruth ~
IS submarine warfare move which n,
as Immediately followed by the .,
eaking of Of diplomatic relations-I a,
1t that the kaiser must have fore Il
en- this consequence and had sent 4
: the postal as an intimation that "a
wanted me to remain In Berlin
vertheless. ar
When the Germans sank the Lusi- cf
MIA, living and practicing in Ger sa
my lost many Of their attractions he
: me. l made up my mind then that til
would rather return home and COM til
nee my professional career all over
ain, If necessary, than remain In a
1ntry which could sanction such
locus, form Of warfare 1.-The wanton
,truction OF women and children. To
It end, l went to New York In the
inner Of 1916 to Investigate the re- ha
rementa for the practice If nv prO-