Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-06

AAEktA6bOkG kGNx.
created at the Palace one day when
one or the Kaisers brutal orders to
shoot beggars on sight" almost cost
the life of Vanderbilt.
This was in the days before the
war when American millionaires
thought it quite respectable to visit
the kaiser-the days before his ex-
posure as the arch-conspirator
against decency and civilization.
Vanderbilt, it appeared, had driven
TO the castle over the royal highway,
and the coach was about to enter one
or the outer gates, when the SEN
tinel stationed there. stopped the
horses and demanded a card of ad-
mission.
This is His Majesty's friend" said
jacques Hartog, Mr.. Vanderbilts s
courier, with an air of magnificent
assurance, but the soldier only stared
the harder.
Your pass" repeated the infan-
tryman.
You don't understand things.
This is Mr.. Vanderbilt, the American
millionaire!" Hartog was pleading
now.
AS the word American struck
the sentinels long ears, he raised his
gun, for his lieutenant had taught
him that the United States is zone
of those confounded republics" to-
tally devoid of king, or princes, or
even a respectable standing army.
/ Driver" he commanded, in his
most pompous voice, and apparently
unmindful of Hartog's very exis-
tence, Driver right about face, for
ward march! March, I say. and
march, third time, or will shoot"
The guardsman kept his gun level
led on the intruders until the coach
vanished behind cloud of fine white
dust and God knows what would
have happened II Hartog, who has
well-established reputation for pug
naciousness and obstinacy, had en-
deavored to run the blockade in or
der to please his rich patron; for
these sentinels carried sharp cart
ridges, and IL they fired-and they
often did so on windy provocation-
they fired to kill.
|, "F1re to Kin'
|, I cannot remember now whether
the public honoring by the Emperor
of sentinel, who, while on duty,
shot down some poor wretch, hap
pened previously to Mr.. Vanderbilts
unsuccessful attempt to visit the roy
al domain, or not. In that case, His
Majesty called the offender to the
front, shook him by the hand, and
assured him of his royal grace, say
ing: 81 am proud to commend you
as an obedient and courageous SOL
der; such devotion as yours will al
ways meet with my highest approx
AL" or words to that effect.
J, But I do know that the incident
was earnestly discussed in the inn
perial family and the castle about a
month later, after the Emperor had
delivered another famous speech at
the swearing-in of the Potsdam re-
cruits.
Most Damnable Murder Decree In
History
There are two versions of that ad-
dress already mentioned in passing.
The one which the majority of news
papers printed at the time reads:
Children of my guard, you are now
my soIdiers,-mine, body and soul!
You have sworn to obey all my COM
mands; you must followed my rules
and my advice without grumbling.
It.means that, from this day on, you
must know but one enemy, and that
enemy is my enemy. And il I COM
mand you some day TO fire upon your
own kth and kin, remember your
OATH"
Kaisers Conception of Soldiers Duty
That version is terrible enough;
but compared with the original draft
of the speech, which 1 happen to
have seen on the Kaiser's desk, the
words spoken sound almost tame.
There it was, in Williams tall,
/ lforcibly-rounded hand:
/ Recruits! Remember that the
/ German army must be as ready to
fight enemies that arise in our
midst, as foreign foes. To-day, disbe-
lief and malcontentedness are ram
pant in the Fatherland to hereto
fore unheard of degree; conse-
quently, I may call upon you at any
time to shoot down and strike to the
ground your father and mother. sis
ters and brothers. My orders in that
respect must be executed cheerfully
and without grumbling like any
other command L may issue. You
must do your duty, no matter what
your hearts dictates are. And now
go home and attend to your new
duties"
'I Found Original Document ON EN-
peror's Desk"
! came upon this document quite
| accidentally, the Empress having or
dered me to fetch from the desk in
the Kaiser's study the calendar
whereon His Majesty's engagements
are registered, and the precious
composition was written on blank
spaces between the dates I had to
examine.
| "Monstrous!" I thought, reading
over for the second time what Will
liam had the folly to indict and not
wit enough to keep to himself; my
heart trembled with anxiety for both
country and Emperor. And to think
that he memorized this murderous
self-apotheosis within earshot of his
wife, and with his innocent babies
sleeping above! And Involuntary
keeper of state secret!
! Kaiser's Hatred of Socialists
It troubled me a good deal during
the night, but next mornings news
quickly took the load off my should
ers, for Her Majesty remarked that
the Kaiser was much pleased with
the impression his speech had pro-
duced,-that Of striking terror into
the hearts of Socialists and others
opposed to the imperial will.
"But does not Your Majesty fear
misinterpretation on the part of
overzealous men?" I asked: 'the
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