The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-23
Of the Revelation HHory Most Colossal Failure

true friendship never ripened between
US two. This was shown particularly
when the Count asked to go at the
same time that his father retired. My
request that he stay by me and help
me to maintain tradition in our polite
al policy ELECTED the sharp reply that
he had become accustomed to report
to his father and serve him, wherefore
it was out of the question to demand
that he come, with his dispatchcase
under his arm, to report to anybody
else than his father
When Car Nicholas H., he who has
been murdered. came of age, was as
signed at the instigation of Prince Bis
marck to confer upon the heir-appar-
ent at st. Petersburg the Order of the
Black Eagle. Both the Emperor and
Prince Bismarck instructed me con-
corning the relationship of the two
countries and the two reigning dynas-
ties with each other, as well as con-
corning customs, personages, etc. The
Emperor remarked in conclusion that
he would give his grandson the same
piece of advice that was given him, on
the occasion of his first visit as a
y
berg, viz: "In general, there as well
as elsewhere, people prefer praise to
criticism" Prince Bismarck closed his
remarks with these words: In the
East, all those who wear their shirts
outside their trousers are decent peO-
pie, but as soon as they tuck their
shirts inside their trousers and hang
a medal around their necks, they be-
come pig-dogs."
From st. Petersburg repeatedly re-
ported to my grandfather and to
Prince Bismarck. Naturally, l describ-
ed, to the best of my knowledge, the
impressions which | got | noticed es-
pecially that the old Russo-Prussian
relations and sentiments had cooled to
marked extent and were no longer
such as the Emperor and Prince Bis
marck in their talks with me had as
sumed After MY return, both my
grandfather and the Prince praised me
for my plain, clear report, which was
all the pleasantcr for me since | was
oppressed by the feeling that, in a
number of things, l had been forced to
disillusion these high personages.
To Offer DardaneIIes to Russia.
! In 1886, at the end of August and
beginning of September, after the last
meeting at Gastein of Emperor Will
/ liam the Great and Prince Bismarck
with Emperor Franz Josef, where
also was presenat the command of my
! grandfather, | was commissioned tc
report personally to Car Alexander
! III. concerning the decisions made
there and to take up with him the
questions relating to the Mediterran
can and Turkey. Prince Bismarck gave
me his instructions, sanctioned by
Emperor William; they dealt most es
pecially with Russia's desire to reach
! Constantinople, to which the Prince
meant to raise no obstacles. On the
contrary, l received direct instructions
to offer Russia Constantinople and the
| DaTdanelles-Gn other words, SaI
Stefano and the Berlin treaty had beer
/ dropped!) There was a plan to per
II suade Turkey in a friendly way tina
an understanding with Russia was de
sirable for her also.
i The Gear received me cordially a
Brest-Litovsk and l was present there
at reviews of troops and fortress ant
defensive manoeuvres, which, ever
then, unquestionably bore an anti-Ger
man look.
To sum up my conversations will
the Car, the following remark by hin
is of Importance: IF l wish to hav,
| Constantinople, l shall take it when
ever l feel like it, without need of pei
/, mission or approval from Prince Bis
r marck." After this rude refusal o
the Bismarck offer of Constantinople
l looked upon my mission as a failur
! and made my report to the Prince az
: cordingly.
When the Prince decided to max
: his offer to the Car, he must hav
altered his political conceptions whieI
: had led to San Stefano and the cor
gress of Berlin; or else, on account @
: the development of the general polite
| al situation in Europe, he considere
: that the moment had come for shut
5 ling the political cards in another wa
l or, as my grandfather had put it, t
5 'juggle" differently. Only man c
: the world Importance and diplomat
: ability of Prince Bismarck could en-
bark on such a course. Whether tn
Prince had planned his big politics
2 game with Russia in such way tina
: he might, first, by means of the col
t gress of Berlin, prevent general wa
< and cajola England, and then, afte
t having thus hindered Russia's Easter
e aspirations, cater to these aspiration
Y later, by stroke of genius, in an eve
: more striking manner, it is impossibl
S for me to say-Prince Bismarck neve
S told any one about his great polite;
. projects.
t. If the above is true, Bismarc
y trusting absolutely to his Statesman
Y like skill, must have reckoned upo
S bringing Germany all the more I'M
r Russian favor because Russian aspi