American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-10-18
The Kaiser as | Knew Him
for Fourteen Years
~R
By ARTHUR NJ. DAVIS. d. d. s.


German-Austr0 offensive against the
Italians was started. In three days the
Italians were swept out OF Austrfa and
the Teutons pressed forward 10 the
passes west OF the Isonzo river leading
to the Venetian plains. by the end Of
October the Italian armies were In full
retreat. Before this offensive was over
the Germans captured. they claimed.
no less han 10000 prisoners and sew
eral thousand big guns, besides vast
stores OF munitions and supplies.
The ~eruitation OF the Germans over
the triumph Of their armies In Italy
knew no bounds. While II was at It's
height / had an interview with the kali
ser which will ever remain one Of the
most vivid In my memory.
II was about three-thirty one Sunday
morning when I was aroused by a maid
who. In an awe-stricken zone OF voice.
announced that the Neue Palals, the
kaiser's palace at Potsdam. was on the
phone. l went TO the telephone and
was Informed that the kaiser was suf-
fering from u bad toothache and would
send his auto for me within an hour or
10.
I got M nj once and packed my in
strumenta. and az six-thirty the car. u
big gray Mercedes limousine. arrived.
Besides the chauffeur there was an
outrider carrying the bugle whose dis
tinetiye notes only the kaiser may use.
While the Shell room and other state
room were accessible to visitors be
fore the war. NO one was ever permit
ted 90 visit the private apartments OF
the kaiser upstairs.
On this occasion. however. | was
guided right through the Shell room,
through a door opening OF the left and
up a wide staircase TO the kaiser's
garderobe. or dressing room.
There l found breakfast ready for
me. II consisted OF real coffee. real
white bread. butter. marmaiade. sugar.
cream and cold meats. II was the FIRST
food OF the kind I had eaten In some
time and practically no n In Ger
many outside the royal family and the
junkers was any better on than I in
that respect.
White | was breakfasting, the kaiser
~" AANH"AnAa MS NNAtI fnltEtu sew
eral times, I noticed. 10 take out artl-
cles OF clothing from the massive
wardrobes which lined the room. / had
Just completed my meal when | re-
celved word that my patient was ready
to receive me.
As | entered the kaiser's bedroom
he was standing In the center OF the
room, fully attired Ia an army gray
uniform. but without his sword. He
looked more haggard than | had EVER
seen him. except once In 1913. Lack
OF sleep aud physical pain were two
things with which he had had very
little experience. and they certainly
shOwed their effects very plainly.
He didn't seem 20 be In the best OF
humor but greeted me cordially enough
n shook hands.
In all my life. Davis" he said. Il
have never suffered so much pain"
expressed my sorrow and started
10 lmprOyise a dental chair out OF an
upholstered armchair ON which |
placed some pillows and. ns the kaiser
sat down. he laughingly remarked:
Look here. Davis. you've got 20 do
something Tor me-. l can't fight the
whole world. you know. and have IA
tOothnchei 2"
When | was through and his pain
was relieved. his spirits seemed to re-
vlve app%reciably. and he explained why
u was he was 80 anxious 10 have his
tooth trouble removed as quickly as
possible.
Il must 20 down TO Italy. Davis"
he said. TO see what my noble troops
have accomplished. My gracious.
what We have done to them down
therel our offensive az Riga was just
q fcint. We had advertised our In
tended offensive In Italy so thoroughly
That the Italians thought we couldn't
possibly intend 20 carry Il through.
For three months Il was common talk
la Germany. you remember. that the
great offensive would start In October.
aud so the Italians believed Il was all
"a blum aud when We advanced on Riga
they were sure OF Il. They thought we
we're so occupied there that we could
pay no attention 10 them. and 50 we
caught them nappingl"
The kaiser's face fairly beamed as
he dwelt on the strategy OF his gen
erals and the successful outcome OF
their Italian campaign.
For months Italy had been engaged
In planting her big guns on the noun
tain-tops and gathering mountains OF
ammunition and supplies and food and
hospital supplies in the valleys below.
In preparation for their twelfth Isonzo
offensive.
w e let them 30 ahead and waited
patiently for the right moment. They
thought that their contemplated offen-
sive must inevitably bring our weaker
neighbor to her knees and force her to
make a separate peacel" BY "our
weaker neighbor" the kaiser. OF course,
&c.