THE GERMAN EMPEROR AT CLOSE RANGE
WILLIAM II AT CLOSE RANGE
A great deal has been said about the firing lines of the different European countries, but little is known of the war lords at close range. Though I have never hobnobbed with royalty I have lived for long stretches of time in the different capitals and cities of Europe, especially in Berlin. There I have seen the Emperor and most of his family.
I have seen William II driving through the Brandenburger gate hurrying from his city. I have seen him taking five-o'clock tea with his wife, his sons and their wives at Sans Souci, in Potsdam. I have seen him addressing his people out on the balcony of his palace after war had been declared.
In these three instances I saw three different types of man; the statesman, the father of a happy home, and the war lord.
He is more than average tall and well built, still in the prime of life. His strong body and healthy color mark him as a man alive with energy.
He stands for the famous Hohenzollern, challenging eyes, full lips, retroussé mustache and imperious air. Still, as I looked at him more closely, I noticed that his left arm is withered – almost of no use. In spite of this hindrance he is an excellent, easy horseman, as much at home in the saddle as are his great generals. When at manœuvres he has been known to sit nine hours at a time without any feeling of exhaustion. He proves himself no less energetic when hunting, which has been a favorite pastime for years. He has made a record of shooting for hours at a time without feeling much fatigue, even when bringing-down game two a minute.
He has made hundreds of speeches on all subjects, that showed a gift of natural eloquence as well as a keen and impetuous nature. He believes in the divine mission of the Hohenzollern. As he expresses it: "It is a tradition in our house to consider ourselves as designed by God to govern the people over which it is given us to reign. Every day I think of ways of helping you, but you must help me, not by means of the opposition parties that you have so often rightly combated, but by explaining to your sovereign and having confidence in him."
Bismark disputed the Emperor's right to act directly with his ministerial colleagues, citing a decree attributing to the Prime Minister alone the responsibility for official acts and prescribing that no important measure should be adopted without prior submission to him.
It is to his army that he looked for greatest strength and support. "In my army we are made one for the other, and we shall remain closely bound whether God gives us war or peace. It is the soldier and the army, not majorities and parliamentary decisions, that have forged the unity of the German Empire."
He has a thorough knowledge of engineering and electricity, paints pictures, plays chess, and he does all this with the use of his one hand. He feels that all these things are his avocations, an outlet for his energy. With his great talent for organization, he realized that a country to be prosperous needs factories and plenty of trade schools. He was absorbed in the trade and commercial schools along with the school of forestry, which have had an international and enviable reputation, and which has made Germany one of the great industrial powers of modern times. He gave every incentive to have his men stay at home in encouraging all kinds of factories, lake, and water ways, the building of canals, ocean liners and merchant marine. For it was the increasing of the numbers of ocean liners and merchant marine that made German merchandise popular and well-known in most of the ports of the world.
He has kept abreast of the times regarding the manufactures in England and the United States. He has always taken an active interest in the machinery and electrical contrivances used in American factories and in the home.
Every year he sent many men to this country to study the methods employed in our shoe factories, tanneries, cotton mills, our electrical appliances and telephone services. As a result many of the German factories have the best of American machinery, American mechanics at the head, and they have worked out their telephone service, typewriters, adding machines and cash registers after our designs. Though the Emperor spent much of his time enlarging the army and navy, he considered these as a safeguard to his country, but it is the commercial interests of Germany he has at heart most.
He loved to read about the Panama Canal and to hear people discuss it, for he recognized it as the great engineering feat of the century. He would rather had it said that Germany had built the Panama Canal than that she had organized the largest and strongest army in Europe. So eager was he to know all these things that he mastered six languages fluently. He began his day's work at seven and continued it until five, with a short interval for his noonday meal and afternoon drive. Though he often had a few intimate friends to supper, his evenings usually finished with work which lapsed way into midnight.
Though the Emperor is often blamed as having precipitated the war, the point is overlooked that Servia, backed by Russia, was trying her utmost to disintegrate Austria. When Austria made war on Servia without consulting Germany, it was the war party in Germany that held it was up to Germany to help her ally. The Emperor of Germany was lukewarm in this matter. He felt that the war should be confined to Austria and Servia. He was surprised and grief-stricken when he returned to Berlin and learned what had happened. It was only after he learned that England and France were backing Russia that he considered the war justifiable.
As he said, when he made his speech from the balcony, he hoped that German swords should only be drawn to protect the fatherland. But after war was once declared he showed, by the way he talked and discussed war matters with his generals, that he was a worthy pupil of the great Von Moltke, and a firsthand strategist. For he had not forgotten Von Bulow's plea to his countrymen, that under no circumstance would France pardon or forget the seizure of Alsace Lorraine by the victorious Germans of 1870. On this head he writes:
"When we consider our relations with France, we must not forget that she is unappeased. So far as man can tell, the ultimate aim of French policy for many years to come will be to create necessary conditions which to-day are still wanting for a settlement with Germany, with good prospects of success."
Of Anglo-German relations Bismark wrote: "England is certainly disquieted by our rising power at sea and our competition which incommodes her at many points. Without doubt there are still Englishmen who think that if the troublesome German would disappear from the face of the earth England would only gain by it. But, between such sentiments in England and the fundamental feeling in France, there is a marked difference which finds corresponding expression in politics. France would attack us if she were strong enough. England would only do so if she thought she could not defend her vital economic and political interests except by force."
Though Europe was on the brink of war time and again during the twenty-six years of his reign, the Emperor always cast his vote for peace, as one of our great statesmen, William H. Taft, said on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Emperor's reign: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating. When the German Emperor went upon the throne and developed his independence of Bismark and his intention to exercise his own will in the discharge of his high functions, there were many prophecies that this meant disturbance of the peace of Europe. Instead of that the truth of history requires the verdict, that considering the critically important part which has been his among the nations, he has been for the last quarter of a century the greatest single individual force in the practical maintenance of peace in the world."
Likewise Theodore Roosevelt says of him, he was "The one man outside this country from whom I obtained help in bringing about the Peace of Portsmouth, was his Majesty William II. From no other nation did I receive any assistance, but the Emperor personally and through his Embassador in St. Petersburg, was of real aid in helping to induce Russia to face the accomplished fact and come to an agreement with Japan – an agreement the justice of which to both sides was conclusively shown by the fact that neither side was satisfied with it.
"This was a real help to the cause of international peace, a contribution that far outweighed any amount of mere talk about it in the abstract, for in this, as in all other matters an ounce of performance is worth a ton of promise."
Though Emperor William has been accused of having precipitated the war, he was off on his yacht taking a vacation when the murder of the Austrian nobles took place, and Germany faced the question of war through her alliance. It is said that the Emperor broke down and sobbed like a child when he met his sons in his study after war had been declared.
As Andrew Carnegie recently explained: "The Kaiser himself is a marvelous man, possessed of wonderful ingenuity. He has done more good for Germany than any other man before him. He has built up a great foreign commerce and a marvelous internal business."
The trouble was started by the German military caste that rules the country. They are responsible for the war. The Kaiser gathered around him a group of men who, unknown to him, acted in concert, and in his absence took the action that could not be altered.
The Kaiser has always been devoted to his home and his children. He has given much time to their education, for he believes firmly, "Spare the rod and spoil the child." Though he has the reputation of being severe, he is far more lenient with other people's children than his own.
His sons were trained to serve in the army quite like the sons of the poorest peasants, and when the war broke out they were the first to hurry to their regiments. Though one of his sons had just been married, he had to leave his bride like all other young lovers.
The Empress has been a splendid check on the Kaiser's strong and determined nature, for though she is submissive and tender, she has great poise and is extremely restful. She has never worried him about her domestic affairs and still she has taken a keen interest in all his doings.
The Crown Prince is different from his father in build, as he is in all other respects. He is tall and slight, good-looking and gracious, and acceptable to his people. Next to taking an active interest in his wife and children, America appeals to him most.
Though he is much more of a soldier than a diplomat or statesman, he is more democratic than his father, and he is tremendously popular with his people on that account. This he has shown to his men ever since he went to the front; the comfort of his soldiers is constantly before him. He makes it a point to see that his men are provided with socks and shoes. When a student at the University of Bonn he had the reputation of being a good mixer. In spite of his fair hair and blue eyes he has always been closer to the war party than has his father. He is a fearless horseman and has a deep knowledge of military tactics. The Crown Prince received his first military training when he was hardly large enough to mount a horse. He and all his brothers have continued this training all through their boyhood. First the Crown Prince went to the Prince's Academy Military School at Ploen, and completed this work at Danzig. Though a severe leader, he has always been the idol of his regiment, for he never asks his people to do the things he is unwilling to undertake himself.
He has always been as popular with women as with his soldiers. He is exceedingly fond of American women and has been admired by many an attractive American girl. Several times he had his heart set on taking one for a wife, but his father showed him the impracticability of such a venture. But he is extremely fond of his home and devoted to his wife and four lovely boys. They are splendid comrades, much more so than the average German woman is with her husband. When the war broke out Princess Cecilie said that she would join her husband at the front just as soon as she could. One of the dispatches sent by way of The Hague from Berlin says that Cecilie, the German Crown Princess, accompanied by her two eldest sons, left Berlin to join her husband at his headquarters in France. She proposed personally to bestow decorations upon officers of her dragoon regiment. Though the Crown Princess is naturally delicate, having inherited tubercular tendencies from her father, she and her husband, along with the children, devote much of their time at winter sports in Switzerland. She and her children toboggan, ski, skate on the ice, and partake of all winter sports. She is so fond of exercise that she sometimes neglects the question of handsome costumes. On more than one state occasion she has had to devise something in a hurry because her wardrobe had run low. She takes more pains selecting her sporting costumes than her evening toilettes. The first time the Emperor laid eyes on her he was charmed by her beauty and grace; as he told one of his friends, "I might look the kingdom over and I could not find a lovelier wife for my son."
She is no less beloved by her mother-in-law, the Empress. When she should come to the throne the Empress imagined she would be spoiled, as she was used to having her own way. To her surprise she found the Crown Princess a capable home-maker and an ideal mother. She loves to ride and romp with her four children, and she is the liveliest of the number. From the time the war broke out until the present moment she has never shown the least sorrow at being alone with her children. Her one great ambition has been to allay the suffering of her people. She is a great favorite with her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. When the young Princess Victoria Louise fell in love with Prince Ernst, the Duke of Braunschweig, the young girl confided the secret to her sister-in-law, who did more than her share to bring the romance to a happy issue. When one of the Crown Prince's brothers fell in love with one of his mother's ladies in waiting, the Crown Princess took her under her wing and thus allayed the Emperor's displeasure. Though Prince Eilet's wife has the name of being haughty, she has never shown that disposition with the Crown Princess, with whom she is on friendly terms.
The Emperor hates pomp and display, and all his family follow his precepts in enjoying a simple home life. They are seen to best advantage in their lovely gardens at Potsdam, having five-o'clock tea on the lawn, happy and care-free away from the pomp of the court.
He is equally proud and happy with his other children, August Wilhelm, Oscar, Adelbert and Joachim. Like the patriarchs of old he takes himself seriously, too seriously, happy in devoting his whole energy and intelligence to his people.
KING GEORGE V, HEAD OF THE ALLIES
It is true that King George V of England and the British Empire is one of the chief figures among the Allies, which include England, France and Russia. It is true that his father, King Edward, was largely responsible for the making of the Entente, or treaties, with the Allies, but he no sooner came to the throne when he renewed them and brought France and Russia into more intimate relation than they had ever been.
It was the last week of April of this year that King George V and Queen Mary made a short official visit to Paris. It was a week of splendid festivities. The temporary residence of the British rulers was furnished with the finest of Gobelins, Beauvais tapestry and furniture. All the main avenues and principal thoroughfares from the Gare Saint Lazare out to the Bois were richly decorated with English and French flags and bunting. From the time the royal pair made their entry until they started for home they were greeted by millions of French and English. The streets were crowded all day long with men and women shouting themselves hoarse with "Vive le Roi, et vive la Reine!"
The royal pair were fêted with receptions, luncheons and costly banquets. The intervals were filled with special performances at the opera and the theatre. There were kinemacolors and moving pictures showing the important incidents in the history of the royal pair, especially the Durbar of India. A small English daily was published giving all the doings of the royal pair while in Paris and even at home.
There were a number of important diplomatic meetings between King George and M. Poincare, the French President. The papers reported that King George had made it clear to the French people he wished to continue the friendship that has existed for nearly a century between the countries, and to strengthen the alliance which King Edward had created. By the time the royal pair were ready to make their departure King George had won the reputation of being a great statesman and good diplomat. This he showed in his friendly attitude towards Russia. It was probably in good faith made by France that England accepted a friendly attitude towards Russia, for they had been suspicious of the Czar and his government, fearing that they had designs upon India. Another diplomatic stroke was the treaty that had been made by King Edward with Japan to protect British interests in the Pacific.
These royal visits and treaties show that England had brought herself into closer diplomatic relations with the continent than she had ever done. Until the last fifty years England tried to keep herself as isolated from the European continent as she could. It was only after the Franco-Prussian war, when Bismarck suggested a treaty with Austria, that England commenced to look around for some allies to offset this power. This feeling grew stronger when Germany began to increase and strengthen her navy. For England covets the title of being mistress of the seas, just as Spain did during the time of the Spanish Armada.
King George has shown himself an equally able diplomat and statesman at home. This was especially noticeable when on February 11, 1914, he opened one of the most momentous Parliaments in British history. The Irish crisis was the principal problem during the session, and in his speech his majesty spoke of the question in such momentous words as these: "This question, unless handled now with foresight, judgment and in the spirit of mutual concession, threatens grave future difficulties."
The king was supported in his opinion by Walter Asquith, who has been the firm champion of home rule. He predicted civil war in case the demands of Ireland were not satisfied, and taunted the government with pusillanimity in the face of the recent events in South Africa. He then moved an amendment to the reply to the speech from the throne "that it would be disastrous for the House to proceed further with the government for Ireland until the measure had been submitted to the judgment of the country." He showed his calm judgment and steady hand when the threatened Ulster uprising took place by proposing home rule for all of Ireland that wished it.
These radical moves were the more surprising, for King George was spoken of as a strong conservative when brought to the throne. This was seen by the patience the Queen and he showed during the coronation in England and India. They were spoken of as mere figures by the Liberalists because they went through the endless festivities from the great procession to the numerous banquets with a smile, with words of patience and good cheer. It was the first time in many centuries that an English King and Queen had made a long trip to India to partake in their coronation festivities at Delhi and Calcutta. They wished to renew the pledge made by the late Queen Victoria when she assumed the title of Empress of India, emphasizing the incorporation of the great peninsula into the British Empire that all her Indian subjects were the children of the Great White Queen. They showed that this was more than a promise when they reached Bombay on the 4th of December, 1911. At half-past nine they and their royal suite drove out to the fête grounds, adjoining the Bombay Gymkhana building. Here in an open space some 26,000 children had been drawn up in a large semicircle, over against the centre of which was a dais for the King and Queen. As their majesties drove up at a quarter to ten, four selected groups of children belonging to the European, Urdu, Gujarati and Marathe schools sang each two verses of the National Anthem in their own tongue. Though they sang in their own tongue and danced their native dances, they shouted "Long live the King and Queen" as enthusiastically as would have done the same size body of English children.
The coronation at Delhi took place on the 12th of December. The royal pavilion was used as a centre of a semicircle, with a radius of about 240 yards erected round the circumference for spectators. All around the base of the mound ran a processional road, so that their majesties could drive under the eye of the onlookers. From the southern margin of this road was erected a huge stand with seating accommodations for ten thousand spectators. The stand was protected by a steep, sloping roof, ornamented with Oriental cupolas. The royal pavilion rose from a broad base in three tiers and ascended by broad stairways to a central platform surmounted by a huge gilt dome. The royal dais was protected by a canopy of crimson velvet, trimmed with crimson and gold fringe. At the royal approach the principal officials and the ruling chiefs took their places at the base of the stand. They were dressed in their rich Oriental silks of orange shot with gold or silver ornamented with armlets of gold, jeweled swords, priceless brooches, orders set with rubies and emeralds and diamond ornaments fastened in their caps. The arena was crowded with British and Indian cavalry, handsomely trapped in gold and red velvet. There was a long procession of English cavalry and marines, enlarged by a great number of native cavalry. It was shortly before noon that their majesties appeared at the entrance. The approach was made known by a salute of 101 guns. They were welcomed by the great throng present, every one rising to his feet, and they drove round the grand stand showing themselves to all present. They were welcomed by great shouts of joy with singing and music, British and Indian airs intermingling. After their majesties were seated on the throne surrounded by their suite and attendants, the King rose and announced the ceremony of his coronation in person to his subjects in India. He ended his promise of good faith by these words: "To all present, feudatories and subjects, I tender my loving greetings." Then the Viceroy came forward and expressed his homage, bowing low thrice as he approached the throne. He was followed by the ruling chiefs of Hyderabad, Baroda, Mysore, Kashmer, Rajputana, Central India, etc. These were led by the Nizam, who were dressed entirely in black, except for the yellow, mitre-like headdress. After them came the chief justices and judges of the High Court, the Viceroy's legislative council, the governors and lieutenant-governors. The ceremony lasted for more than an hour, and was extremely picturesque. The British officials dressed in staid blue uniforms made a suitable background for the rich Oriental costumes and priceless jewels worn by the Indian princes. Their salutations were no less interesting than their costumes, as they one by one approached the dais in turn expressing their promise of homage. Some used the gesture of throwing earth on the head once or oftener; others simply bowed. The Rajput chiefs almost without exception laid their swords first at the feet of the King-Emperor and then at the Queen-Empress with deep obeisance. Most interesting of all were the chiefs of Bhutan and of Sikkim, who after bowing reverently, brought out two white shawls, such as they use to drape the images of their most sacred gods, and spread them before their King and Queen. There were other festivities included in the Durbar, one of which consisted of a great banquet to 173 of the most distinguished British and native guests. There was the same display of rich Oriental dress and elaborate, shimmering jewels. The next day the King reviewed his native and British troops, awarding the most valiant of his officers the Albert medal. The King held a levee of his officers while the Queen-Empress received 120 ladies of the families of the ruling chiefs.
Another splendid royal entertainment was a large garden party in the fort of Delhi. There were groups of entertainers and jugglers. These interspersed freely with great lords and ladies and splendid cavalry and infantry. Their majesties soon appeared and took their place on the ramparts, where they received the immense throng. The same ceremony was repeated at Calcutta. While there the King divided his time between the polo grounds and the public hospital. At Nepal the King and his party hunted and they were successful in laying low a good bag of tigers.
Shortly after their coronation the King and Queen showed that they are fond of many of the mediæval traditions. They restored the Order of the Bath and laid much stress on the Knight of the Garter. The Knights of the Garter have a beautiful chapel at Windsor, where each has a stall.
Though King George inherits the diplomatic qualities of his father, he has little sporting blood in him. He keeps a racing stable and has many fine horses. He also attends to all the large races, but he does little betting, because the Queen is opposed to gambling. He is fond of all outdoor sports, such as tennis, golf and polo, and he encourages his sons in these pastimes by joining with them at these sports.
Queen Mary is an ideal companion for King George. For she believes that to be a good Queen means first a devoted wife and mother. She is interested in all the King's affairs, whether it is a coronation in England and India or caring for the wounded soldiers in the hospitals in London. She is fond of good living and dressing, but she is opposed to everything that suggests foolish extravagance. After the coronation she was greatly opposed to the refurnishing of Buckingham Palace. Though she is supposed to wear her state gowns once, she has them remodeled time and again. She objects to modern dancing, especially the hobble skirts. She likewise frowns upon the light-hearted American social leaders, who before her day were so popular at court. When King George ascended the throne the Queen asked him not to smoke anything beyond an occasional cigarette, nor to drink, to bet, nor to have ladies at his club.
The royal family has an ideal home life in London and in the country. Much of their time is given over to sports in fine weather and reading aloud in bad weather. At Sandringham they have great droves of pigeons, which the entire family love and care for.
Little was known of the Prince of Wales until he became of age and inherited his title. He went through this difficult ordeal with ease and grace. He was educated by Mr. Hansell, an English tutor. Later he studied at Osborne and Dartmouth. He did his year's service as a petty officer and went through the discipline and hardships of the common marine. When the war broke out he offered himself for active military service, and was greatly disappointed because he was not accepted. His brothers are being educated in the same simple and unspoiled fashion. His oldest brother, Prince Albert, was born in 1895. He entered the Naval College at Osborne, remained there for two years and then spent two years at Dartmouth. The younger brothers are George, Henry and John. Princess Mary has had her teachers at home; she is a well-educated girl, who has given more time and thought to her study of languages and music than to clothes. She was given her first evening gown for the coronation and her first jewelry when she was sixteen. She will not be allowed to make a formal début until she is of age. The Queen insists that her daughter shall be trained to become an intelligent mother and capable housekeeper before she marries. When she does, it must be a love match. For Queen Mary was engaged to the Duke of Clarence, and after six weeks of courtship he died. Shortly after she was engaged to his brother, Prince George.
Though England and Germany are fighting each other with a death's grip they are closely related. The Emperor is a cousin of King George, and it is said that both King George and Emperor William wanted to bring the two families together. It looked as though the promise would become a reality, for the King and Queen were present at the marriage of the Emperor's daughter – Victoria Luise – to Prince Ernest of Brunswick. The Germans say that the label, "Made in Germany" instead of "Made in England," along with Germany's sympathizing with the Boers, are the causes of their animosity, while the English say that German imperialism and militarism are to be crushed once and for all time.