THE KAISER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 7

THE KAISER.

SICK OF THE SEARCHLIGHT. (nV teleg ttAPU —rRESS AssociATrbN-^corTßienr)

Berlin; January 25;

, The Kaiser .requests .!tte"pjvj§s' : 'te 'Tefrain from publishing further news of his doings, as he desires to live-as,quict a lifo as possible. / ''. V.' /

THE KAISER AS, RECLUS£.( ; Tho 'Daily Express" in' December published the'-following telegram : from its Borlin correspondent, explanatory .of. the reasons which' have' prompted:, the Kaiser /.to keep ,hiniself_of late' in'.seclufioii—a seclusion so'rigid. give; rise -to rumours of ill-hcalthr The -correspondont ' ..-'v'-' 1 v' ", 7 -""/'■ '■* ."Mystery: : has: for four,;'.weeks"enveloped;.the personal life of- the' Kaiser. ' With .the: solitary exception; of. his .visit'to'the .Berlin City. Hall, ceremony, on 'November 21,' when he' publicly;' and for tho first time, demonstrated ; his respect for' constitutional rule' Sby/ declaririe -that : ;h0 must - consult his.' Imperial Chancellor," Prince Bulow, below uttering hasVremdned. unse3'i ; athing is".nnprccedented3in|tE'3«tweni^vyeafs*'i , fi his reign. This is 60. astqnishing; that ;it . has; 'given rise to alarming reports regarding the conditions of his :MajcsEy^-health.v ; i!r;.. ;?>:;• .. "Thepeople ;of "Germany^' : are ■■ so. unSccus-' tomed to. seeing: and:, hoarinjr.nothinff of 'their versatile ruler that bplioye' that' anything,but illness .hfllds'him in concealment. The ; result is: that yagae;ip'ersistent rumpurs ; of illness have been .circulated' during-;.thevlast few.days. .One* report is„thjjt the.'Emperor jii, suffering : from a■. rec|irrence';"of ; £is> : thfoat. trouble; another that it I consequent oiv the' mental- strain- of .rjtho-. rccent' political crisis'. 1 ! , -r'f: "All these rumours' ara entirely: unfounded® The : ;Emperor, . . apart; from., suffering., fron^. a. slight' cold, enjoys ', good ,health;,;;, The, reason of . hjs. prolonged .'retirement from: th'e 'publib gaze. is his earnest and ! .sincere. desire to carry out the solemn pledge which ho gave to Prince Bulow on the' occasion , of thShistoHcal'- inter-' new,' on'- ;November 17, the same. evening in the-icolutanß'-of''the 'Imf perial 'Gazette.' : ...i' p'-. ■' y-Tft'' A NEW-LEAP. • "The truth !is that William-n;- has;-tufndd over a new leaf,-and is. living tho life, of a political, reoluse;: /rhose-i-whofchow'-Vhis!'great-love of; change, his delight in travelling, his strong; dislike of dull • mohptony"!.an'd 'cbmmbnplacei existenoe, .realiso:-how'''grep; v personal sacrifice .is involved in ,; ;Bjs Majesty has cancelled a.' long list "ofi'.publio, and .private''visits. 6l'plS£jsttts~,tb' carry out his resolve to remain in tho background. He intended to proceed., to. Kiel. to. perform the ceremony -of-swearing vm-naval recruits in person. and .to deliver,; as is -cus-; tom#ry,--:a' stirring addriss -to'' thKfu'ttireblue■jackets. . But. he abandoned, the. plan.,- ,v "Other journeys, . southwards,,, ho'rtfwajdsi eastwards, ahd hunting expeditions; and other' diversions have .'bgen' abandoned in'.order that'the'Bmperbr inay -"devote himself exclusively-to tho. transaction;of. State, business ' at. :Potsdam. .His<motor i'car, whioh, when in residence af'PptsdsimT has* hithwto'.b'een seen in' the'streets of; Berlin- almost every, day, is no longer visible. Instead of travelling, / hunting, . r re-" hearsals, and indulging in other, varied pur-; suits,,the Emperor .wori?s.stbadily at Potsdam, receives Cabinet .Ministers in. .audience,.- studies' dull,.official, report's, and',reads' tedious'.'Whitebooks :issued by"; the various departments' "ot : State.-" v . • ■ /'This astonishing. timony to the Emperor's- stern resolve. to sacri-' lice his own. p'ersonalinclinations-' to 'public' welfare. Persons' ih close touch wth'.the' perial household report 'that the ; Eniperor >is suffering fromdepression of spirits,"' ;whioh'is' comprehensible, in\these. ciroumstances. But tho Kaiser consoles himself-"that-when ; his' sub;' jects realise that his retirement is due not to illness,-but that his own will,-keeps hijn in tho background, they,-will fully appreciate" his' wise concession to their, will,,,shoiying, as it-does, more manly courage than the' Sovereign -would have.revealed if he had.defied popular wishes."