Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-27
THE WILLY~NICKY LETTERS

Copyright, 1920 by The Chicago
Daily News Foreign Seryice.)
One of the most remarkable of the
letters written by the German kaiser
to the Russian car in their long
correspondence is dated February 21,
1905, when Russia was seething
with revolution. The kaiser sat
down apparently after a great deal
Of thinking and informed "Nfcky'
what the world was saying about
him and about Russia. A crisis had
been reached in Russian affairs and
the kaiser may well have become
worried about the ultimate effect
of an upheaval on the autocracy to
the east, which could not fail to af-
feet his own rule if it fell. ''Nicky's"
methods had been anything but tact
full. Workers marching to address
the czar were moved down by troops
on Red Sunday, January %, 1905.
Demands for reforms and a consti-
tuition were answered by temporiz.
ing. Schemes elaborated by the Rus
sian ministers were not yet ready
fo- announcement. In the far east
the army and navy suffered nothing
but reverSes. The car sat in TsarS-
l1oe Selo and the people grumbled.
The kaiser does not write as if he
were giving advice on his own re-
sponsibility but pretends that he is
repeating what is being said general
ly in Europe, and takes it for grant
ed that this news has not reached
the car. This affords an unusual
insight into the way the kaiser work
ed. The letter discloses that the
n inc al y
not only on events but the trend
Of opinion in the world Sec
ondly it is evident also that he was
anxious to have the car preserve
the prerogatives Of divine rule"
and not yield too much to the popu-
lar clamor.
He wants the car rather than
the ministers to announce reforms
an in commenting on how blame is
placed on a ruler makes the interest
ing remark that Gin constitutional
nations it is not so dangerous, as the
kings ministers have to mount the
breach and to defend his person.
as so often happened in the kaiser's
own experience. He suggests that the
car lead his troops in person. He
points out how Moscow became alien
ated because the holy war was not
proclaimed from the KremlinA The
kaiser believes that the masses will
adore ruler who goes among them.
The letter conveys much information
on the kaiser's understanding of af-
fairs, his motives and his interest in
N1cky's predicament. The actual re-
forms suggested by the kaiser are
today of unusual historic interest
no general legislative assembly, no
national convention, no liberty of
assembly or freedom Of the press.
but an act of habeas corpus and
wider extension of the council of
the empire-which was purely ad-
vlsory-and personal participation Of
the ruler in public affairs.
The letters Of the kaiser were
copied by Isaac Don Levine, staff
correspondent of the Daily News In
the soviet archives at Moscow.
Ka:ser's Letter of Advice
Berlin, Feb. 81, 1905-Dearest
| Nicl1y: Fritz Leopold (Prince Fred
erick Leopold) has just returned
with your kind wishes and compli-
ments, deeply impressed by your ex-
IRENE kindness affability as we'll as
| by the handsome reception you gave
him. How glad 1 am to hear from
him that you are well, calm, self
| composed and hard at work, and that
| dear Alix and the children are all
| right. 1t is so much easier to work
at difficult task when one knows
that those one loves are we'll I am
glad was able to meet your wishes
| by sending FIR. Leop to Asia by sea
Your railways are hereby left un-
hampered! What terrible tidings
have come from Moscow! These