The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-08
KAISER'S POST CARD

I and your family are not to be molest- ed"
 KAISER'S POST CARD Another incident which made me feel that could proceed with my prep arations for leaving Berlin without un7 due haste was the receipt early in the year of a most extraordinary postcard from the Kaiser which, it occurred to me- was quite significant as to his in tentions regarding my welfare. On one side was his picture and on the other, written and signed in English in his own Handwriting, was the message Dear Doctor Davis:
 Wishing yeu a very good year for 1917. WILLIAM, I. R.'' This was the first message of its kin0 that had ever received from the Kaiser. Even in peace times. the ric- ture postals which he had sent to me from time to time and which were au- tographed by him, were always signed in German. When on February 1, the Germans resumed their ruthless sub- marine warfare-a move which was im- mediately followed by the breaki off of diplomatic relations.--I felt that the Kaiser must have foreseen this conse- quence and had sent me the postal as
 an intimation that he wanted me to re- main in Berlin nevertheless
 When War was declared therefore I was thoroughly satisfied that, while 1 had become an alien enemy, was never theless sort of privileged character and could remain in Berlin with more or less impuEity until I was quite ready ! to leave. Leaving Berlin was going to entail great personal sacrifice on my part. In my IA years residence in that city l hal built up a substantial ana Lucrative practice of a character that | , would never be able to duplicate Not Withstanding the strained relations which had existed between my country and Germany long before the diplomatic break actually came. few of my patients had deserted me, and even when war
 was declared this situation was not al tered particle. Perhaps the fact that the Kaiser himself continued to come tl
 me for treatment restrained others who might otherwise have been disposed to give me up from doing so. although some of my patients did not hesitate to express the opinion that while it wa, quite all right for them to visit me, it was most unpatriotic for the Kaiser to do so in view of the fact that II was an alien enemy.
 REASONS FOR LEAVING While, however, the fact that my per- sonal safety was guaranteed, I had been led to believe. by no less a power than that of the Kaiser himself. that there was little cause to hasten my departure from Berlin, and, on the other hand, flourishinss practice gave me most per suasive reasons for renal ining There were three reasons, however, which i'm
 pelied me tc settle up my affairs aud return home just as soon as I could
 possibly arrange to do so.
 When the Germans sank the Lusitania living and practicing in Germany lost much of their attractions for me. I mada up my mind then that I would rather return home and commence my profess sional career all over again, if neces- sary. than remain in a country which could sanction such hideous form of warfare-the wanton destruction of wom- en and children. To that end. I went 10 New York in the summer of 1915 to in- vestigate the requirements for the prac- tice of my profession in that state had an Illinois license, but I wanted to be in position to practice in New York
 and the following year I went to New
 York again and took the state dental ex- animation. I returned to Germany late in the autumn of 1916 and later learned that my certificate had been granted. Then 1 commenced active preparations to dispose of my German practice and return home.
  out of Germany soon as possible was the fact that food conditions in Germany were becoming more precarious every day. My wife and I feared that our child, who was 2 years old, might suffer from lack of proper nourishment if we re- mained and I determined that no matter how long it might be necessary for me to remain in Berlin, my wife and child at any rate should leave at the earliest possible moment
 My third reason, however, was by far the most insistent of all.
 had become convinced that what knew of the Kaiser and his plans now that we were at war. ought to be com
 municated to America without delay and that the only way to do that adequately would be to get home as soon as I pos sibly could. no matter what personal sac rifce might be involved in abandoning my European practice and interests. CAST ASIDE ALL RESERVE It is true that in the early years of
 my relationship with the Kaiser our
 conversations naturally embraced only
 the most general of subjects, but in
 latter years, when he came to know me
 better he cast aside all reserve and talked to me on whatever was upper ' most Tn hls mind at the time. After the
 warstarted, that, of course, formde the principal subject of our discussions and the part that America was playing in the conflict was frequently brought uu because of the fact that was an Ameri can.
 Besides the Kaiser. my patients in. cluded most of the members of the royal family and the German aristocracy, anu through them. too, I came into posses sion of considerable information which. 1t seemed to me, might be valuable in helping America to gauge the German point of view.
 l was not spy. had never made the slightest effort to pry into German affairs. Whatever learned of ehs