Evening star., 1937-01-29
The Forgotten Man.

Over an Associated Press dispatch
from the Netherlands appears q cap
tion which tells plaintive story-"Ex-
Kaiser Spends Lonely Birthday" The
hermit Of Doom was seventy-eight
years old on January ~. So obscure
and unobtrusive . life has William
OF Hohenzollern led since his abdication
and flight in 1918 that the world at
large is hardly conscious that the dis
credited supreme war lord of Potsdam
is rapidly matriculating for the octo-
genarian class. In the heyday OF his
imperial glory "Kaiser's birthday" was
the most joyous and honored holiday
in the Fatherlands whole national call
endar. Streets and public buildings
throughout the empire were brilliantly
festooned and Illuminated. Organized
merrymaking was the order Of the day
and night for old and young alike.
"Hoch der Kaiser" was the universal
toast, offered and drunk with patriotic
fervor and affectionate regard.
Times have changed. The pre-war
German military and naval autocrat
now breaks into the worlds news only
at rare intervals, to be identified princi-
pally as "the royal woodchopper." In
almost impenetrable retirement, he is
spending the afternoon Of his life amid
reflections that must be woefully satu-
rated with grim remorse over what might
have been. Living apart from even his
own kin and once intimate comrades, it
can be said Of William as was observed
OF another CaeSar-whose "word but
yesterday might have stood against the
world" while now none 50 poor to do
him reverence" This week the exile's
congratulatory letters and gifts from
his native land were notably fewer than
on birthday anniversary occasions in
recent years. He had only one visitor,
an inconspicuous Lutheran clergyman
from Cologne.
Prior to Hitler's rise there were pe-
riodical suggestions that the German
people might one day in a spirit Of for
giveness and old-time loyalty restore
the monarchy and establish another
Hohenzollern on the throne. With in.
Nncible ascendancy Of the Na1 cult
those iridescent dreams vanished, never
to be revived. Here and there in iso-
lated Prussian Junker circles and among
some Of the older military families,
monarchical sentiment hickers now and
then, but 1t is without purpose or i'm
portance. The ex-Crown Prince and
Williams other sons are domiciled on
Reich soil and are respectfully treated.
Some Of them have done duty in Hit
ler's various armed forces and political
organization. The old Emperor's grand
son, Prince Louis Ferdinand, who served
an apprenticeship in the Ford works at
Detroit, has just received commission
as reserve officer in the Nad air corps.
But. by and large, the Hohenzollerns are
only memory in Germany today-and
not q very pleasant one.
It will be recorded to the credit of
William II that he has at no time during
his more than eighteen years Of banish-
ment sought to use his asylum on Dutch
soil as an opportunity for political in
trigue looking either to his return to
native heath or to the restoration of the
crown so ANONYMOUSLY toppled from his
head. The ex-Kaiser is manifestly con-
tent to be Germany's forgotten man and
to pass the remaining days that may
be allotted to him in such care-free soli-
tude as his memories permit.