Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-09-06
CHAPTER |.

When war broke out between the
United States and Germany, on April
6, 1917, l was in Berlin. / had lived
and practiced my profession as a dent
ist there for Il years, and the kaiser
had been one Of my patients during
all that time.
/ don't know exactly how many
visits the kaiser paid me profession
ally, but | know | am safe in saying
they were not less than 100, and the
probabilities are they were closer TO
$50. Almost invariably, after my WORK
was done, the kaiser remained any
where from ten minutes to an hour
and q half to discuss the topics of the
hour with me.
When we declared war against Ger.
many, therefore, while I was still aG
American citizen-aS patriotic an
American, | believe, as might be found
nnywhere-I 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 Oh
the kaiser himself, that l found it hard
to realize that nevertheless / 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.
s'This treaty" the newspapers point
ed out. "was made in the time Of Fred.
erick the Great. It 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repealed.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 tire situation been reversed, OF
course, he Germans would undoubt'
eddy have thought 1t eZpedient to in.
tern Americans no matter what hap
peaad 10 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
sec me professionally during that pc
Rcd almost invariably expressed the
hope that I was not planning to leave
Berlin.
'No matter what happens, doctor"
they declareG-"even if the worst
comes to the worst and war is de-
cared between America and Germany
you may feel quite sure the kaiser
viii never let anyone harm you"
I had not let the matter rest there,
however. / had called at the Ameri-
can embassy, where it was pointed
out TO me that, while diplomatic re-
lations had been severed, it was not
at all certain that war would result
and there was, therefore, no reason
for me to leave Berlin precipitateiy.
Had the kaiser been in Berlin at
the time, / might, Of course, have had
an opportunity to put the question to
him sCuarely as to what my fate might
be il war were declared, but he was
away. The court chamberlain had
been appointed but short time before
and 7 did not knew him personally,
but his predecessor, Count August Won
Eulenburg, one of tie wisest and most
respected men IN C"rmany, was one
of my oldest patients and l decided TO
discuss the situation with him. In
fortunately, however, I found him too
i'll to receive me. He was eighty years
old and, although unusually well pre-
served, was in no condition on this
occasion to receive visitors.
Another influential patient of mine
whom | sought out at this time was
ex-Ambassador Won Sturln. Although
he was now retired from official life,
he had formerly been a powerful fig
ure in German state circles and still
kept more or less in touch with the
new court chamberlain and others in
high office. His nephew was under