The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-07

ing Academy of Building" which, at
that time, was a slow-moving, cum
brous and backward body. | had al
ready had experiences of my OVID
with it. The White Drawing Room"
originally merely provisional, had been
put up without much attention TO
style-it had been intended at first
for an Indian masquerade, "Lalia
Rookh" festival, in honor of the
Grand Duchess Charlotte, daughter of
Frederick William Ill, and her hus-
band, later Car Nicholas l. An in
vestigation instituted at my order
showed the material to be spurious
and inferior; the structure was in the
worst possible state of decay and in
danger Of collapse; new one was
needed
With the cooperation and collabora-
ton of the Empress Frederick, prof
Jects and plans were made, and, fin
ally, big model was provided by
Building Councillor Inne-the modern
Schluter," as the Empress Frederick
used TO call him-which won unani-
nous approval Only the Building
Academy opposed wearisome objec-
tions, stating that the White Draw
ing Room ought to be preserved ''in
y,
ed no alterations When the new
structure was completed however, it
also met with the approval of tt
gentlemen who had been formerly SO
critical
Herr Won Stephan also was at log.
gerheads with the Academy of Build
ing. He wanted to alter many Post
Offices, or build entirely new ones. es.
Z 1an ain ~, u,
Of the fearful slowness and devotion
TO red tape of the aforesaid official
body, he used to receive no answers
at all, or else refusals, when he
brought these matters to its attention
The rule of the thumb was supreme
4 there. Herr Won Stephan was of the
opinion that, in its buildings as wellg
4 as in other directions, the youthful
/ German Empire must give an impress
sion of power, and that the Imperial
I Post Offices must be built accordingly;
/ he believed that they should harmon
/ ize with the general style of the
towns where they were located, or. at
least, conform to the style of the oldest
and most important buildings there.
4 Nor could l do otherwise than agree
with such view.
At last there came a rupture with
the aforementioned Academy His Elk
cellency Won Stephan lost patience and
informed me that he had freed his
office, and the buildings erected by it.
from the supervision of the Academy:
that he had even formed a committee
t from among his own architects and
/. officials for supervising purposes: and
that all he asked of me was to sub
I ject the more important plans for
buildings to a final inspection l did
so willingly
4 stephan was an enthusiastic hunts
i man, so that l had additional oppor-
tunities, while on the court hunts. TO
enjoy association with this refreshing.
unchanging, faithful official and coun-
selor.
Among the Ministers whom l par
ticularly esteemed his Excellency MID
uel took first place. He it was who,
as my Finance Minister, put thorugh
for Prussia the great reform which
placed the land on a sound basis and
helped it toward prosperity. Inter
course with this astute political ex-
pert gave me great pleasure, and
wealth of teaching and stimulus.
The degree to which MIGUEL was
versed in all possible matters was
!, astounding. In conversation he was
brisk, humorous and keen in elucidat-
ing and arguing on a subject, in ad.
= dition to which a strong historical bent
ran like a red thread through his
. quotations. In history and ancient
: languages he was maryelousIy well
: equipped so that, in his reports, he
: was able often TO bark back to the
oF ho nj
his store Acknowledgements out of Buch-
: mann Ga German philoIogist who COM
: piled a well-known book of quotations)
pieces of Latin in support of his
arguments. Even when he was in
structing he was never tiresome on
T account of his brilliant dialectics, but
used to hold his hearers spellbound
to the very end.
1t was his EXcelIency MIGUEL like
/, wise who melted me TO favor the
; great canal projects and supported me
when the iPrussian Conservatives op-
posed the Central rhine Wesser-
i, Elbe) Canal, and caused the failure
of the plan to build it. He lent
strength to the King and made the
latter decide not to let up in this fight
until victory was won He knew, as
did, what blessings the canals in
Holland and the splendid canal net
work of France had brought to those
, lands and what a relief they were to
! the ever more hard-pressed railways
In the World War we might have had
a splendid East-to-8Vest artery of trans
portation for ammunition, wounded.
siege material. supplies and the like.
which would have made it possible by
thus relieving the railways, for the
latter to transport troops on an even
greater scale-moreover this would
have lessened the shortage of coal. IN
, time of peace also, for which the canal
/, was destined, it would have been
! most beneficial
1 Minister Won MIGUEL was a most ar
, dent enthusiast for the Imperial Ger
man idea and the German Empire of
! the Hohenzollerns; I lent an atten-
, tive ear to his spirited handling of
this theme. He was man who. cling
ing to the old tradition, thought in
: great German imperial way; he was
, fully adequate to the requirements and
demands of the new era, rightly an
: preciating when these were of value.
Continued Monday
! Copyright by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate. Entered a t Stationer's Hall
: London Publication and Translation
Tfvosr ,.ls