THE KAISER OF TO-DAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 31

THE KAISER OF TO-DAY

HOW WAR HAS AGED HIM In view of the inspired statements from German sources to the effect that the German Emperor has become, in the words of theatrical advertisement, "brighter and better"—and younger— since the war commenced, it is significant-, says a London journalist, that an official "postcard portrait" of the Kaiser, published on his 56th birthday, should depict him with snow-white hair showing beneath his helmet. It is also significant that another official announcement from the German General Staff, to the effect that "his Imperial Highness is enjoying the best of health and spirits," should have been followed by the speedy return of the Kaiser from the war front, in order to consult a throat specialist for recurrence of the hereditary throat trouble which attacked him again shortly before Christmas • It is, of course, difficult to obtain any authentic personal particulars about the Kaiser just now, because he exists as one writer puts it, "like a mythical person living behind the walls of mystery created by his headquarters staff," . whose interest it is to make the world believe that the. streams of innocent blood the Kaiser has caused to flow have rejuvenated him, and made him a fresh, 1 lively, and contented monarch. But the objective evidence of the Carney and the film contradicts this flattering pioture, and show the Kaiser simulating a counterfeit gaiety, certainly, but greatly careworn and aged. This was notably the case in a recent official photograph of the Kaiser which reached London. The picture depicted the Kaiser laughing heartily in compauy with some members of his staff. The camera, however, could not lie; it was only the mouth that laughed'; the eyes were weary, sombre and sad. The most direct evidence that the Kaiser has aged rapidly beneath the burden of blood guilt is furnished by a well-known Bavarian ■ writer, Herr Ganghofer, who. may be ranked as almost a personal friend of the German War Lord, or at least a specie's of imperial Press agent, for the Kaiser generally .sends for this gentleman when he wishes to pose in the public limelight, and talk for the benefit of the German people. The Kaiser recently summoned the Bavarian writer, and conducted him personally round the German battle front in the West. In the course of this tour the Kaiser dropped into Herr Ganghofer's attentive ear many .cheery little observations about the certainty of German victory, all of which were duly chronicled by the "official Press agent" for the edification of a credulous Fatherland and.asceptical world. The German Crown Prince —"Little Willie," as he is familiarly called by some of the London comio journals, but referred to be Herr Ganghofer as "the victor of Longwy"—in-

terrupted several of tliw conversations to dash -up with "glowing eyes" to announce more "victories' tg "papa." The whole affair seems to have been very well arranged for publicity purposes, and doubtless would have made some.impression—in Germany—if Herr Ganghofer haH not rather incautiously in one of his artioles let the cat out of the bag by revealing that he found the Kaiser "somewhat aged," with t£e hair on his temple "a little whiter." A Dutch journalist in a position to speak with some authority on £Eis Bubjeot, and not feeling bound by loyal orpatriotio feeling to conoeal the -truth, declares that the war has turned the Emperor William into a broken, wither-, old man. The Kaiser, he says, has nojii only, been aged by the war, but he has • bcoome shrunk and bent with prematura age. The journalist first gathered this' impression during a visit to a Berlin'-, kinema, where a picture was shown of! the Kaiser visiting the troops in thai Eastern war theatre., When His! Majesty appeared on the soreeu a murmur ran through the house, ''Howl ! small he has become." , j "Tills was also my own strong im» I pression," adds the writer, "whioh was; ' still further confirmed on seeing a new ' portrait of the Kaiser. The Emperor's featues have become sharp. His cheek; bones and nose, whioh appearß muohjmore aquiline than formerly, spring | sharply forwards. His moustache ahoW6up dark, on the photograph, but thei hair on the temples seems to come down' white under the helmet. Everything! that one, especially in caricature, for-; merly regarded in foreign counfcriis aaj typical of the face of the Kaiser liasj disappeared. A simple aged officer, staling earnestly in front ,of him—' that is the impression .whioh the porw trait makes." JThe same observer, during his visits,', spoke to a German offioial who had seen;the Kaiser several times at head-; quarters. The official said: "The Kaiser's appearance shocked me. The Em-, peror is old grey, and has fallen.-. , away. He is visibly affected by circumstances. I have seen him saw wood (his daily form of exercise, in whichj he indulges here and also at Potsdam),; and it distressed me to see him sitworking listlessly, aud now and again! staring fixedly in front of himself, lost! in thought." \ A curious commentary on the "peace--' loving Kaiser" of the German Press is, the - "Uppermost War Lord's" birth-, day action in distributing a number of decorations known a 6 "Red Eagles" to German poets who have written "hate poems" against England. Thus Herr-, Ernst, Lissauer, who before the war was regarded as an insignificant writer, has been suddenly elevated to fame be-' cause of his inclusion iu the Kaiser's"' list of birthday honours by reason o£ his now well-known ."Hymn of Hate." The Imperial decoration of the -fourth . class has been granted to quite a group, of obscure German poets—twelve in ay —"for their war poetry,/, which - lias - assisted to set ablaze the enthusiasm ■ of the German people for the holy w.'ir." 1 -