The sun., 1918-11-10

with a couple of trusted followers he en-
tered his mothers apartments and ran
sacked them for certain papers. among
them diary long kept by his father.
which he feared would reflect upon him
u published or II It fell into unscrupu-
lous hands. He told Bismarck in
triumph what he had done. Bismarck
wis aghast.
Dismiss the troops at once" he said,
this would be rulnous: you cannot
practically imprison your mother"
The young mans anger had cooled he
dismissed the soldiers. and again all
was well. He gained his point too. At
Bisrnarcks suggestion he cut of his
mothers income, and shs surrendered
| the book
His father was accorded a simple
military funeral. and he began 10 reign
with the greatest gusto. and every day
thereafter the more he reigned the bet
ter he liked It, He fairly revelled in the
purple.
He smoked, drank beer or a little wine,
he loved to go hunting in Russia, he rode
much. walked much and on most occa-
| sions he talked much. very fluent, con-
sequertial talker, q remorseless question
err. He loved to change his clothes or
rather his uniforms he had no liking
| Tor civilian clothes. He was vain IN a
large way. He fairly loved to be photo
graphed.
Only o Feet Inches Tall.
A curious matter Is that no two writ
ors seem to agree on his height. He
is not more than ) feet inches--the
tallest 81 inches In the world.
Some keynote OF tho young Emperor's
policy Is to be found in the proclamation
/ to the army and navy. issued on the
l lad
I'VE belong to each other. and the
army. Thus We are born for one an
other, and thus We will stand together
in an indissoluble bond in peace or
storm, as God may will II. You will
now take to me the oath Of fidelity and
obedience. and swear ever to remember
that the eyes OF my ancestors look down
upon me from tho other world. aud that
| shall one day have to render account
to them OF the glory and honor Of the
army"
oh. that heavy account which he Is
rendering now!
To his people some days later he ad.
dressed another proclamation and with
these closing words:
! II have vowed to God that, after the
example OF my fathers, I will be a just
and clement prince to my people, that ]
will foster piety and the fear OF God, and
that 1 will protect the peace, promote
the welfare OF the country, be a helper
OF the poor and distressed, and a true
guardian Of the right"
Debut Startled the Nation.
His debut as Emperor rather fright
ened the German people. They wore
willing, eager to admire. but this per-
emptory staccato OF the voice in which
he announced his royal right to rule and
his unfillal attitude in the recent family
situation disturbed them.
When Wilhelm began his reign the
Socialists were few but irrepressible
the Centre or Catholic party was
smaller; the Conservatives made the
majority. On them Bismarck always
counted. He literally fought the Social
lists and the Catholics. though later he
made peace with them. Bismarck be-
lieved that he held the new Emperor In
his hand. first because he had served
the young mans turn and next the awe
in which all men held him as the empire
builder. But they got along poorly.
Bismarck was too old TO change. He
hated and feared the people. Soon
Emperor and Chancellor were at odds
William espoused the cause of the work.
ingmen. endeavoring to alleviate theiI
condition, secure their old age from
want. increase their wages. In this wa,
he hoped to combat socialism. Bis
marck knew that It would not, but the
Emperor was not to be denied. He wrote
on one occasion:
II am resolved to lend my hand
toward lettering the condition of Ger
man workingmen as far as my soiicitud,
for their welfare Is reconcilable will
the necessity Of enabling German IN
dustry to retain its power of competi
ton in the worlds market and thus sc
cure his own existence and those o.
its laborers. The dwindling of our ma
tive industries and such loss of thei
foreign markets would deprive the mel
of their bread"
bismarck was taking his means Z