The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-08-30

u Security unlOOSpned his
tongue and made him more talkatiye.
perhaps. than was always discreet.
Inc kaiser was very fond Of listen
ing to and telling stories with a point
and would frequently invite me to tell
him any new one that I might hava
heard. Some of tine stories we e.-
changed were more or less risaue and
would be out Of place In these pages.
Dut DO not mean to intimate that
tnere was anything very much amiss
with them. They always amused him
very much and he was quick to catch
the point.
The kaiser's sense Of humor fire.
quentiy exhibited itself. He told me
OF conference between representa-
tives Of all the powers regarding the
selection of a king for Albania after
the Balkan war. Some Of those present
thought the incumbent ought to be a
Catholic. others insisted that a Greek
Cathoiic was essential, still others
maintained that a Mohammedan would
be most logical.
1t seemed quite impossible to come
10 any agreement as to Just what re-
ligion the king Of Albania should pro-
iess, and the kaiser had ended the dis.
cussion. he said, with the suggestion:
wei. gentlemen, II Protestant
won't do. and Roman Catholic won't
do, and BuddhistziT7- - the ones
ton. why not select " and coll him
Jacob the First? He'll have his throat
cut. anyway, In three monthsl"
The nO\UorS dI1 NOT ,,1oo. .
the prince OF Wicd. the kaiser's nomi-
nee. was put on the throne and within
month or two afterwards had to Zee
for his life.
In referring to Roosevelt's patriotic
oher to lead an army In. France. the
kaiser declared that he admired him
for his courage and zeal.
II hear" he said, "that he Is now on
his way to Italy. 1t Is too bad we did
not postpone our offensive there. Per
haps we might have captured him.
wouldn't Teddy look funny in a gas
muSk?''
Shortly after the U-boat Deutsch-
land made It's successful trip to Amer
icn, the kaiser called on me, and he
was II =" very jocular frame of mind.
happened to- mention to him that
u timed to 20 to America the following
summer In connection with the porce-
lain tooth had patented.
We'll, 1t won't be necessary now.
Davis" he commented. "we can send
the Deutschland over and bring back
a Dontload OF teeth I"
FIX my teeth we'll, Davis" he de-
ciared on another occasion, $50 that !
ran bite. There are lots of people I
would like to bitel" and he snapped
MS jaws together in a way thnt would
nave Doded Ill for the victims he had In
mihd. although his remark was eyi.
dentiy more facetious than vicious.
The courtesy and affabiiity which
the kaiser almost invariably displayed
IN MS relations with me did not pre-
vent MIN on one occasion from show
Ing his Indignation when I touched him
upon what was evidently a very sore
point-the part that America was 60
ing to play In the war. although he al
ways claimed to be unperturbed about
the American situation.
He had pointed out that America at
that time had only 10000 men In
France and he believed that the u
ooatS would effectively prevent any
great addition to our forces abroad. II.
Indeed, they ever left our shores.
AS matter of fact, however" he
added, your countrymen would he
very willing, no doubt. to fight for their
country To protect 1t from invasion,
but don't believe you'll ever get many
or them to leave home to fight abroad.
America will really be very small
rnctor In the war, Davis :"
Your majesty is Understanding
the power of America - replied.
He turned to me Indignantly, and I'm
MS most imperious manner exclaimed:
I'VE underestimate no onei We
know exactly what we are doing"
How seriously he was mistaken in
this respect has since been sufficiently
proved
No matter how gloomy the outlook
Tor Germany, the kaiser seldom show
ed concern. 1t is true that whenever
things were going wrong, as when the
Russians in the early part of the war
were sweeping everything before them
In their advance on the CnrDathians.
ne aud the rest of the royal family
Kept as far In the background as pos
sible. whereas when the German cause
was triumphant, as in the case of the
offensive against Italy. he could not
make himself too conspicuous at the
front.
But even when Germany's adversely
was greatest. the kaiser always put on
brave front. At such times | have
seen him stop In the street, after leav-
Ing my Office, and before the hundreds