Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-09-19
CHAPTER 4,
"America Must Be PunishedIU

When war broke out between the
United States and Germany, on April
g, 1917, was in Berlin. / had lived
and practiced my profession as a dent
list there for Il years, and the kaiser
had been one of my patients during
all that time.
l don't know exactly how many
visits the kaiser paid me profession
ally, but l know l am safe in saying
they were not less than 100, and the
probabilities are they were closer to
49, Almost invariably, after my work
was done, the kaiser remained any
where from ten minutes to an hour
and half to discuss the topics of the
hour with me.
When we declared war against Ger
many. therefore, while 1 was still an
American citizen-as patriotic an
seAmerican, believe, as might be found
anywhere had lived in Germany so
long, had developed so many profess
sional friendships in Germany's most
favored circles and was so generally
regarded as a particular favorite of
the kaiser himself, that found it hard
to realize that nevertheless l had be-
come an alien enemy.
The same day the breaking off of
diplomatic relations was announced,
the German newspapers had published
the provisions of an old treaty be-
tween Germany and the United States
which gave Americans in Germany
and Germans in America nine months
after declaration of war between the
two nations within which to settle
their affairs and leave the country.
"This treaty." the newspapers point
ed out, "was made in the time of Fred
erick the Great. 1t has never been
repealed. Germany will respect It,"
AS there were so many more Germans
in America than there were Americans
In Germany, this prompt announce
ment of Germany's intentions regard
ing this treaty was quite understand
able and it seemed most improbable
that Germany would adopt any harsh
measures toward Americans and
thereby invite reprisals.
Had the situation been reversed. of
course, the Germans would undoubt-
eddy have thought it expedient to in
tern Americans no matter what hap
pened to their own countrymen in
America, and, in that event, this an
cient treaty would have shared the
fate of that which guaranteed Bel .
gums neutrality. One "scrap of pa
per" more or less would never have
been allowed to interfere with Ger +
many's destiny"
Influential Germans who called to
see me professionally during that pc
riod almost invariably expressed the
hope that l was not planning to leave
Berlin.
mo matter what happens, DOCTOR"
they declared-"even if the worst
comes to the worst and war is de-
clared between America and Germany
you may feel quite sure the kaiser
will never let anyone harm you"
had not let the matter rest there
however. l had called at the Ameri-
can embassy, where it was pointed
put to me that, while diplomatic re-
lations had been severed, it was not
1T all certain that war would result
and there was, therefore, no reason
'or me to leave Berlin precipitately.
Had the kaiser been in Berlin at
he time, might, of course, have had
IN opportunity to put the question to
lin squarely as to what my fate might ,
,e If war were declared, but he was
way. The court chamberlain had ,
'een appointed but short time before
md / did not know him personally, !,
nut his predecessor, Count August Won
Iulenburg, one of the wisest and most