Face to Face with Kaiserism | Page 4

silver cups in order that those drinking wine with him do not see
that he consumes no appreciable quantity of alcoholic liquor on the
occasion of each health drinking. Some people in America may have
often wished for a similar device.
The Emperor is out of uniform only on rare occasions. Occasionally,
when in a foreign country, he has appeared in civilian dress, as shown
in the accompanying photograph, taken in 1910 at the small town of
Odde in Norway, where he had landed from his yacht. He appears to
much better advantage in uniform than in civilian attire. Although
uniformed while at sea as an Admiral, his favourite uniform is really
that of the Hussars. In this picture he is accompanied by Baron von
Treutler, Prussian Minister to Bavaria and Foreign Office
representative with the Kaiser. Von Treutler is a German of the world. I
met him at the Great General Headquarters, at the end of April, 1916,
when the submarine question was being discussed. He came to dinner
several times at the Chancellor's house, undoubtedly reporting back
what was said to the Emperor, and I believe that his voice was against
the resumption of ruthless submarine warfare and in favour of peace
with America. Shortly after this period he fell into disfavour and went
back to occupy his post of Minister in Munich.
In conversation, the Emperor reminds one very much of Roosevelt,
talking with the same energy, the same violence of gesture and of voice
so characteristic of our great ex-President. When the Emperor talks all
his attention is given to you and all his mental energy is concentrated
on the conversation. In this violence of manner and voice he seems not

at all German. The average German is neither exuberant nor
soft-spoken.
His favourite among his ancestors is William of Orange. Once he
attended a fancy-dress ball in costume and make-up copied from the
well-known picture of that Prince. The Emperor is strongly built and is
about five feet nine inches tall. He sits well on his horse and walks, too,
with head erect and shoulders thrown back--a picture of military
precision.
A friend of mine who was present at Kiel with his yacht, in 1910, tells
me that when all the yachts and warships had been assembled along the
long narrow waterway which constitutes that harbour, with the crews
lined up on deck or manning the yards, with bands crashing and
banners floating, the Hohenzollern slowly steamed into the harbour and
passed lazily and majestically through the waiting ships. Alone on the
upper bridge stood the Monarch, attired in full military uniform, with
white coat and tight breeches, high top boots, shining silver breastplate
and silver helmet, surmounted by an eagle, the dress of the Prussian
Guard Regiment so dear to those who portray romantic and kingly rôles
upon the stage, a figure on whom all eyes were fixed, as splendid as
that of Lohengrin, drawn by his fairy swan, coming to rescue the
unjustly accused Princess. And, alas, the Germans like all this pomp
and splendour. It appeals to something in the German heart and seems
to create a feeling of affection and humility in the German breast.
When I talked at length one day with President Wilson on my visit to
America in October, 1916, he remarked, half to himself, in surprise at
my tale of war, "Why does all this horror come on the world? What
causes it?" "Mr. President," I answered, "it is the king business."
I did not mean nominal kings as harmless as those of Spain and
England. I was thinking of the powerful monarchs. A German republic
would never have embarked on this war; a German Congress would
have thought twice before sending their own sons to death in a
deliberate effort to enslave other peoples. In a free Germany teachers,
ministers and professors would not have taught the necessity of war.
What German merchant in a free Germany would have thought that all

the trade of the East, all the riches of Bagdad and Cairo and Mosul
could compensate him for the death of his first-born or restore the blind
eyes to the youngest son who now crouches, cowering, over the fire,
awaiting death? For there was no trade necessity for this war. I know of
no place in the world where German merchants were not free to trade.
The disclosures of war have shown how German commerce had
penetrated every land, to an extent unknown to the best informed. If the
German merchants wanted this war in order to gain a German
monopoly of the world's trade, then they are rightly suffering from the
results of overweening covetousness.
Experts in insanity say that the Roman Emperors as soon as they
attained the rule of the world were made