THE THEATRICAL KAISER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 290, 3 September 1919, Page 7

THE THEATRICAL KAISER

REMARKABLE SIDELIGHT ON HIS CHARACTER. Berne, June 13. A letter written on May 13, 1906, by the late Herr von Holstoin, the famous permanent official of the German Foreign Office, has just been published by a South German journalist, to whom it was addressed. It was written during the first Morocco crisis, and was sent to the South German journalist for the deliberate purpose of perstuading him to criticise William II in the Press. Herr von Holstein wrote: "There is only one way of avoiding the oertain dangers of the future-hamely, wo must opoo3e and criticise all useless provocations" of other Poweirs, whether committed by word or deed, and wo niuet show that such provocations indicate political unwisdom on the part of the man who commits them. It is precisely the ■loyal,. constitutional, ■ and conservative Press which must do this. If tho 'Vorwort§' criticises, the effect produced works only on tho masses, and not on- the Kaiser, who needs to be curbed. "All provocations are either committed by the "Kaiser himself or are committed bjr others to pje-ase the Kaiser. I will givo dn unimportant instunot*. Ballin, who docs all' sorts of mischief to make himself interesting to the Kaiser, is going .to run a few steamships, between Basrh and tho Persian Gulf. Jn this case, 'it would be a good thing to discuss publicly, in tho Press, whether the slight advantages gained by this enterprise are iforth tho disadvantage accruing to Germany by reason of tho fact that by ob- , trading hers&lf as n buffer St.ito between Russia and England in tho zone in which there is friction between these two Powers she inevitably promotes n Tapproche-mc-nt between London and St. Petersburg [Th* Anglo-Russian agreement in regard to Porsia was, in fact, concluded in 1307, a little more than a year efter Herr von Unlstoln wrote this letter.l "To be effective, this criticism must be aimed directly nt the Kaiser. Of course, overy, word must ho weighed, but the Kaieer must be msde in feel that his prestige,suffers if he allows himself to bo swayed by every impulse. The Kaiser systematically nutfl ( vstop to hy those who are in personal touch with him. ... "I. warn you, therefore, that without criticism of the KaLw we s'wl'l get into eerioue difficulties. This' criticism i»"st Iw uttered by Press nnd Pariament. Tho Prer.o must hopn, because the.r" nrn very fw indenendent inen in the R-eich'tn-T; tho members of the Rninhstou: will bo emboldened to criticise if tho Press lends thorn. Not onlv in other countries! but nlso hero in Gfwmany, the fear of <ib-eolt.'l-i inonarchiam ie growing. "Tl>« T(n'w h-«i 'Irnn-tio -><itincta, tat no political instinct/!. He thinks of Hio drnniAt'c effect of his. vordM. and not of the real con.ioriuoucos. Indeed, ho is penowillv nnplefiwntV sin-prised by tho consequences, when they lxsoomp. evident."

Before nroceedniK with a. case ugaiwt a voune man for cruelty to horsss Mr. S. L. P. Free. S.M.. mentioned in tho Mμterton Mairie.ratu'a Court yosterday that he had received two niionyinous lettera. One of them purported .to come irom u child, but he , thought that both came I'rniu tli'j saino source. The wording of thn lct.ors was not objectionable in it> self, lint when it was considered that their obiect was to influence the mind (if the Court, then the lutters were'highly objectionable. Kergeaii, Miller remarked that the police, too, had received nnonvmmts letters in connection with cases liearini; on cruelty to animals. "This Court acts only on the evidence nlaced before it," continued Jlr. Free. "It would destroy-all confidence in our conrte if Magistrates were influenced by outside information. No Magistrate worthv of tho nome would take notice of anvthine that waa not adduced in evidence in the court. If lam able to find who wrote tho letters I will deal with them effectively."