IN AN EXCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY CORPS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1012, 30 December 1910, Page 8

IN AN EXCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY CORPS.

| Usually German nrinces are taught 'at home, and this was tho case with the Crown Prince. William II himself went to college, but he did not choose this method -of education for his eldest son. i roLably lie did not think it exclusive enough for the boil* to tbe throne. But. m spite of this the Crown Prince studied somo'years at tho Universitv of Bonn, on the viucclad banks of the lihine. Here lie was a member of the smartest corps.' _Hero wo see the most striking defect of the monnrchial education, -if would bo invaluable for a future monarch to know all classes of the population and to become familiar with their opinions early in life. Instead of "giving such ail opportunity to this prince, he is keut carefully secluded from contact with "the luiddlo classes, fo? fear of the contaminating influence of their ideas. This seclusion is a. grtat danger;..it hinders the monarch from recognising the needs of' his nation and from' understhnding tho languago of his people. He'become sthc'prisoner of a, single caste.

.Every Prussian prince enters the army at tho age of ..ten, and .with the rank of lieutenant'/' Of 'course, tin's is, only a' formality; tho real military service begins later. But here also mistaken cxclusiveness deprives the prince of the opportunity of widening his horizon. For, in his regiment, as in his corns, oply the scions of the-.nobility; associate .with" him. Ho always he'iifs tllVsariYe ; opinions; he is • snell-bcund by obsolete oreiiulices, and he confounds the smalf "society" clique with the nation.itself. '.The' Crown Prince gave the first proof of individual development when, as a student. lie refused to submit to the terrible drinking laws which oblige tho younger students ito swallow an enormous quantity, of beer at the command of the older ones.' This robollion was considered by his fel-low-students as a breach of sacred tradition, and a report was drawn' up and presented to the Emperor, stating tho revolutionary behaviour of his soii. The Emperor is not a very lenient father, but on this occasion he took the sido of the Crown Prince, and only the other day he lectured to the students on tho evil effectsof this custom of excessive drinking.

HAS MADE NO STIE. Tho Crown Princo has not made a stir in the world, although once he delivered a public speech in which he called tho social Democrats "miserablcs." This, of course, was a blunder, for the German Social Democratic party is. made up of several ' millions of members, and the future Emperor must not offend a powerful" party, ■ cxcapt in & case of urgent necessity. The newspapers were almost unanimous in their denunciation of this speech, and the princo was silent for years. One knows only that he is an excellent sportsman, and that he assumes no airs. He treats the pompous festivities of the court as "humbug:," and ho' charms the people who approach him by tho natural easiness and simplicity of his manners. He is very slender, graceful in his movement. 1 :, and a remarkable horseman. He is interested in the theatre, and ho went seven times to see one comic opera. The political, education of the prince was confided to tho secret councillor, Von Falkenhayn.; This choice was -characteristic. Von Falkenhhyn is a clever' man, but a supporter, oi' .the most stubborn conservative opinions. He is tho prototype of a Tory, and quite unable to give the future Emneror- an impartial view of the political standing of Germany. Ono should have chosen' a broad-minded man for this important and difficult task, a man above tho creed of parties, and it is a dogmatising reactionary who has been selected. So the political education of tht future Emperor has been one-sided, and intolerant. This is so much tho worse, because the Crown Prince has not strong intellectnal force. ' Ho has not the piercing eye of Frederick tho Great, nor tiie quickness of perception of Frederick William 11, and probably lie will stick obstinately to the opinions of his teacher.

but he has a stron" sense of honour and duty; and he is modest and reliable; he reminds one of William I, whom Hie present reigning Emperor has called ,f the great." . One of the most important questions to ask about a monarch is whether by temperament he is peaceful or warlike. Tho Grown Prince is not a keen soldier. His. promotion was strikingly slow. When William II ascended the throne the European world feared his impetuous temperament; when his son follows him public' opinion will probably be very quiet. And besides this somewhat plegmatic temperament,; the future monarch will be clever enough to understand that au unhappy war might mean, disaster for his- dynasty. i But the Crown Prince is no weakling. He is. now popular, arid a part of this popularity is duo to the charming woman he lias married. The Crown Princess is not alono a woman of great beauty; she possesses in the highest degree (he art of making friends everywhere. She has a strong influence on her young husband. Sinco his marriage he has shown a more serious turn of mind. One may risk the prophecy that the German Crown Prince will hot bocome mio of. the great, creators or destroyers but that he will fulfil all the duties of his high position to the best of his ability. Ho is not.a genius, but it is a' moot question if genius be the most desirable quality for a modern monarch to possess.