The Lamar register., 1918-09-18
The Kaiser as | Knew / linn
for Fourteen Years
c@20
By ARTHUR N. DAVIS, D. D. S.


employed horse and carriage for
ordinary travel, relying upon his free
use OF the railways for longer dis
tances. When, however, the reichstag
passed a law compelling royalty to pay
for their railroad travel, the kaiser
took to automobiles. They charged
him 1000 marks, he told me, for the
use of train on one of his shooting
trips, and that apparently was more
than he could stand.
"Autos are expensive" he declared.
"but they don't cost me that muchl'
The kaiser speaks English with but
the slightest trace OF foreign accent.
His diction is perfect. He speaks
French, too. very fiuently, and, be-
lieve. Italian. He Is widely read on
almost all subjects and knows the lit
erature of England, France and Amer
lea ms well as that of Germany. Mark
Twain was one OF his favorlte Amer
lean authors and Longfellow his choice
of American poets.
lie prides himself on his acqualn-
lance with history and has little re-
spect for the political opinions OF 9TH
crs whose knowledge of history is less
complete.
Shortly after Carnegie had donated
five million marks to Germany to fur
thcr worid-peace. 1 happened to be
talking to the kaiser of American mil
lionnires and the steelmaster WAS
mentioned.
"Of course, Carnegie Is a nice old
man and means WELL" remarked the
kaiser. condescendingly. but he Is to-
tally ignorant of world history. He's
just advanced us Ave million for
world-peace. We accepted 1t naturally.
but, OF course. we intend to continue
our policy of maintaining our army and
navy In full strength"
Indeed, there is hardly any subject
to which the kaiser has devoted any
considerable attention In which he
doesn't regard himself as the final au-
thority.
As an art collector and antiquarian
he claims first place and he Is rather
inclined to feel that second place
should be left vacant. He Always re-
scented very much the acquisition by
American mlllionaires Of art treasures
and antiquities which their wealth en-
ubled them to buy. but which their
limited acquaintance with history and
their lack of culture and refinement
made them unable TO appreciate-in
the kaiser's estimation.
OF his own taste in art little need be
said. The monuments which he caused
to be erected to his ancestors and their
advisors and which adorn the Sieges
Alice, the street he had opened through
the Tiergarten especially for them. are
at the same time monument to the
kalser's ideas OF art. They are the
lnughing-stock OF the artistic world.
They have been so frequently defaced
by vandals whose artistic taste they
offended that 1t was necessary to sta
ton policemen In the Sieges Alice to
guard them. Not long ago burglary
occurred in the vicinity. The burglars
were observed while at work and u
startled civilian rushed to the Sieges
Alice to summon one Of the officers
who were known to be on guard there.
''If you hurry" exclaimed the civil
ian. excitedly, you can catch these
burglars red-handed."
am sorry" replied the policeman.
"But 1 cannot leave the statues"
Realism Is the kaiser's Idea Of what
is most desirable in dramatic art.
When he put on "Sardanapal." Greek
tragedy in pentomime. at the Berlin
opera house, he sent professors to
the British museum to secure the most
detailed information available regard
ing the costumes # the period. Every
utensil, every article Of wearing ap-
parel, every button, every weapon, In
fact, every property used in the play
were to be faithfully reproduced. par
ticular pains being taken to produce a
most realistic effect in a funeral pyre
scene In which king ended his life.
The kaiser sent me tickets to see 1t.
King Edward attended the perform
ance at the Berlin Royal opera and I
asked the kaiser how the king of Eng
land enjoyed it.
My gracious" the kaiser replied.
unable to repress his satisfaction at
the effect the pantomime had had on
his royal uncle, "why, the king was
very much alarmed when the funeral
pyre scene came on. He thought the
whole opera house was on fire!'
Perhaps the kaIser's love for details
might be attributed to his keen obser-
walton. Nothing, no matter how triv-
ial, escaped his attention.
A couple of years before the war /