Face to Face with Kaiserism | Page 5

mad by the possession of that
stupendous power. The sceptre of Emperor William is mighty. No more
autocratic influence proceeds from any other monarch or ruler. But you
will say how about our President in time of war? Great power can
safely be given to a president. Our presidents have all risen from the
ranks. Usually they have gone through the school of hard knocks. And
there are ways of keeping them abreast of the people.
It is told that hidden from public view, crouched down in the chariot in
which the successful Roman pro-consul or general drove triumphantly
through the crowded streets of Rome, was a slave celebrated for his
impertinence, whose duty it was to make the one honoured feel that,
after all, he was nothing more than an ordinary mortal blessed with a
certain amount of good luck. Probably as the chariot passed by the
forum the slave would say, after a thunderous burst of applause from
the populace: "Do not take that applause too seriously. That is the T.
Quintus Cassius Association whose chief received a hundred sesterces
from your brother-in-law yesterday, on account, with a promise of a
hundred more in case the Association's cheers seemed loud and
sincere."
So in America the press, serious and comic, takes the place of the
humble slave and throws enough cold water on the head of any
temporarily successful American to reduce it to normal proportions.
Besides, the President knows that some day he must return to the ranks,

live again with his neighbours, seek out the threads of a lost law
practice or eke out a livelihood on the Chautauqua circuit in the
discomfort of tiny hotels, travelling in upper berths instead of private
cars and eating on lunch stools in small stations instead of in the
sumptuous surroundings of presidential luxury. These are sobering
prospects.
Kings, on the other hand, come to look on their subjects as toys. A
post-card popular in Austria and Germany showed the old Emperor,
Francis Joseph, seated at a table with a little great-grand-nephew on his
knee, teaching the child to move toy soldiers about on the boards; and it
is unfortunately true that the same youngster--should the system of the
Central Empires be perpetuated--will be able to move his subjects
across the map of Europe just as he did the toy soldiers on his
great-grand-uncle's table. He will be able to tear men from their work
and their homes, to seize great scientists, great chemists, great
inventors--men who may be on the eve of discoveries or remedies
destined to rid the human race of the scourge of cancer or the white
plague--and send them to death in the marshes of Macedonia or the
fastnesses of the Carpathians because some fellow-king or emperor has
deceived or outwitted him.
In a monarchy all subjects seem the personal property of the monarch
and all expressions of power become personal. This extends throughout
all countries ruled by royalty.
* * * * *
When, for example, a member of the royal family dies, even in another
country, it must be lamented by the court circle of other lands. Here is
the official notice sent to all diplomats and members of the Imperial
German Court on the occasion of the death of the Queen of Sweden.
"The Court goes into mourning to-day for Her Majesty the
Queen-Mother of Sweden for three weeks up to and including the 19th
of January, 1914.
"Ladies wear black silk dresses, for the first fourteen days, including

January 12th, with black hair ornaments, black gloves, black fans and
black jewelry; the last eight days with white hair ornaments, grey
gloves, white fans and pearls.
"Gentlemen wear the whole time a black band on the left sleeve.
Civilians wear with the embroidered coat, during the first fourteen days,
including January 12th, on occasions of Grand Gala, black buckles and
swords with black sheathes. During the last eight days bright buckles;
on occasions of 'Half Gala' gold or silver embroidered trousers of the
color of the uniform and in the one as in the other case gold or silver
embroidered hat with white plume; with the 'small' uniform, however,
black trousers (or knee-breeches, black silk stockings, shoes with black
bows and the 'three-cornered' hat with black plume). During the first
fourteen days gentlemen wear black woolen vests and black gloves, in
the last eight days black silk vests and grey gloves.
"Berlin, December 30, 1913.
"The Ober-Ceremonienmeister. "GRAF A. EULENBURG.
"By command of His Majesty the Emperor, mourning will be
suspended for New Year's Day and the 17th and 18th of January."
So, it is apparent what a close corporation all the royal families make
and the peoples are simply viewed as the personal property of the
ruling princes. In his telegram which the