The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-06

kiss the Emperor's hand on receiving a
military command; and / saw the EN-
peror playfully pinching the ear of the
colonel of tile First infantry regiment,
at the same time giving him a serious
calling down for remissness of duty.
During the return from Rominten via
Danzig to Hubertusstock Professor
Slaby of the technical high school in
Charlottenburg was in the railway
coach. He is a fine scholar whom, as
a scholar, I admire greatly. But when
it comes to liskspittle flattery and
toadying he knows no limit. Time and
again he mentioned how often All
Highest and Most Gracious Majesty"
had been challenged by opposition and
how, always, "All-Highest and Most
Gracious Majestys opponents" had
been forced to realize and admit their
errors, until finally the Emperor said :
Exactly! My subjects should simp-
ly do as l command. But they insist on
thinking their own thoughts, and the
natural result is a mass of difficulties =!
Quiet OF Home BOres Him
The Emperor shows his remoteness
from the world as it is by what he calls
| his ideals of virtue.
Doubtless, from a human point of
view, it is splendid for the Emperor
to give to his nation an example of
decent, clean private and family life.
But the result is being spoiled when
the court chaplain refers to "All-High-
est Majestys virtue" in every sermon,
when he reads these sermons aloud to
the Emperor and the assembled court
and lauds them with blatant batteries
until the Emperor develops a conviction
of self-righteousnes which does not
differ very much from pharisee hypoc-
risy. =.
A few days ago, the Emperor was
sitting alone, occupied with book.
Suddenly he looked up and turned to
the Empress.
Are you going to spend the night
here" he asked.
mo, Wilhelm" she replied. But
you were so deep in your reading that
did not want to disturb you"
WELL" he rejoined, what else is
there for me to do in this place-with
everything such a frightful bore?"
The other day January %, 1909
we were on the eve of his Majesty's
birthday celebration and everything
had already been prepared for "a guests
of the blood royal. At $50 /
received a message over the telephone
telling me that the Emperor had de-
cided not to celebrate his birthday and
notifying me to inform all the guests,
who were already on their way to
Berlin, not to come, as Prince Ethel
Friedrich was sick with pneumonia.
The Prince of the Asturias was already
in Paris on his way from Madrid, and
the Emperor asked Count Eulen'burg to
telegraph to the prince at once asking
him not to come. The Empress, who
was present, demonstrated with His
Majesty.
But, Wilhelm" she exclaimed, you
can't do such thing!
He pushed her to one side with a
sharp gesture of his right hand, and
said
Il am the one who gives orders here
not you! !"
How dangerous it is for a ruler to
express his personal views tactlessly
and, worse, to cOnfide them to the writ
ten page, was proved at the time when
Germany played Russia against Eng
land and England against Russia, do
ing risky political tight-rope dance
between the two The Emperor, with.
out consulting his advisers, entered into
an intimate correspondence with Gar
Nicholas. The latter gave the letters
to his minister for foreign affairs. He
since at the same time Russia was
dancing the tight-rope between Ger.
many and Great Britain, transmitted
the correspondence to the English
foreign office, which therefore received
thorough insight into Germany's
foreign politics.
Tactless, too, is his mania of inter.
lerihg IN the affairs of other rulers
which has earned for him dislike
ehmity and even active and violent
hate.
Once Count Eulenburg said to Las
celles, the British ambassador: "You
used to be so friendly to us, to under
stand us so well. What has come over
you of late?"
Lascelles replied with a half-laugh :
II l should report to London every
word your All-Gracious Master SAYS
about us British, we would have been
at war long time ago"
only few days later-this $1,000
was at the time of the wedding of the
Duke of SaXe-Coburg to Princess Vic
toria-i heard the Emperor talk to the
latter and to Duke Frederick Ferdi-
nand about his relations to Great
Britain expressing violent personal
dislike and disapprov9l of King Ed
ward. And this in the presence of
several English princes and prfncesses.
Next Sunday; The Grand Duchess
| Who Didn't Elope.