The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-05
Bethmann Started Out Well,
But Constantly STUDIED Toe
on Big Issues, William Tells

Bethmann had plenty Of foreign mat
tiers to handle, connected with the
well-known events of 1909-1914. Con-
corning this period a mass Of material
has been published in different quar-
tiers, for instance, in the book,
Causes of the World War" by Secre-
tary of State Won Jagow. In the "BeL
gian Documents" the attitude of the
| German government is described from
neutral standpoint. l had based this
attitude on the following:
Caution on the one hand ON the
other, support of our AustroHunga-
rian allies whenever there is a plain
threat against their position as &
world power, combined with counsels
of moderation in action. Efforts in
/ the role of honest broker everywhere,
activity as a go-between wherever
peace seems endangered. Firm as
srtion of our own interests"
In view of the "encirclement" am
billions of our opponnts, we were in
| duty bound, for the sake of self pres
ervation, to work steadily at the same
| time toward building up our army and
navy for purposes of defense, be-
cause of the central location of Ger
/
tiers. This period of history is also
well described in Stegemann's book.
and Helfferich and Friedjung also de-
picted the pre-war days interestingly.
Edward the Encircler"
| The death of the "Encircler," Ed
ward VII-of whom it was said once,
in report of the Belgian Embassy at
Berlin, that "the peace of Europe was
never in such danger as when the
King of England concerned himself
/ with maintaining it"-called me to
Lodon, where I shared with my close
relations, the members of the English
royal family, the mourning into which
the passing of the King had thrown
4 the dynasty and the nation. The
entire royal family received me at the
railway station as token of their
gratitude for the Difference to family
ties shown by my coming.
King George drove with me to West
minister Hall, where the gorgeously
decorated coffin reposed upon tower.
ing catafalque, guarded by household
troops, troops in line, and detachments
from the Indian and Colonial conting-
ents, all in the traditional attitude CT
mourning-heads bowed, hands cross
ed over the butts and hits of their re-
versed arms The old, gray hall, COW
cred by it's great Gothic wooden cell
ing lowered impossingly over the cata-
falque, lighted merely by few rays OF
the sun filtering through narrow win
dows. One ray flooded the magnificent
coffin of the King, surmounted by the
English Crown, and made marvellous
! play with the colors of the precious
stones adjoining it.
: Past the catafalque, countless
throngs of men, women and children
, of all classes and strata in the nation
passed in silence, many with hands
folded, to bid reverent farewell t.
; him who had been so popular as rul
: er. A most impressive picture, in its
marvellous medieval setting.
/ went up the catafalque with King
George, placed a cross upon 1t, and
spoke silent prayer, after which my
right hand and that of my royal cousin
found each other, quite unconsciously
on our part, and met in firm clasp
This made deep impression on those
who witnessed it, to such an extent
that, in the evening, one of my rela
lions said to me: your handshakC
with our King is all overLondon; the
people are deeply impressed by it, ant
take it as a good omen for the future.
THAT is the sincerest wish of mj
heart" replied
AS rode through London behind thu
coffin of my uncle / was a witness o.
! the tremendous and impressive demon
tration of grief on the part of the vas
multitude-estimated at several mill
: ions-on streets, balconies and roofs
every one of whom was clad in black
: every of whom stood with barred head
; among all of whom retained perfec
! order and absolute stiffness. Upol
L this sombre, solemn background tn
files of British soldiers stood out al
the more gorgeously. In splendid al
. ray marched the battalions of the Eng
:, lish guards; Grenadiers, Scots Guards
Coldstreams, Irish Guards-in thei
I perfectly-fitting coats, white leathe
= facings and heavy bearskin headgear
: all picked troops of superb appearance
; and admirable martial bearing, a jo
Il to any man with heart of a soldier
And all the trops lining the path of tn
> funeral cortege stood in the attitude o
: mourning already described.
During my stay, resided at the spe
cial desire of King George, in Bucl
L ingham Palace. The window of TIL
L dead King, Queen Alexandria, receive
:, me with moving and charming kind
ness, and talked much with ME abou
y bygone days; my recollections stretch
ed back to my childhood, since I, Will
: still a little boy, had been present q
the wedding of my dead uncle.
= The King gave a banquet to tn
= many princely guests and their suites
e political .