THE EX-KAISER’S RETURN

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5317, 24 August 1928, Page 4

THE EX-KAISER’S RETURN

HOPE OF RETURN. “PEOPLE ON MY THRONE.” I have lately seen and spoken with William 11. and his wife in their exile at Doorn (writes a German, correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian,”). I am no royalist, bu,t the impression was painful. Imagine a man wiliq has lived from birth at the height of worldly eminence, the Empo'ror 'of a great the commander of the gi'ieates|t army in the world, the centre of a crowd of bended backs—imagine him in shabbygenteel surroundings in a strang country, with only a few of the faithful about him. This man is the cause), or at lease the foremost cause, of ou’i misery, and I have suffered' myself on his account, having been imprisoned for, lese majeste for a very mild newspaper criticism of his political pronouncements; nevertheless it

shocked me to see him ip his iiumil tion.

Wc reached Dooyn at half-past eight, and morning prayers were about 'to begin as we arrived. The Kaiser himself wearing knickerbockers, his wife and her childern, an old general and some 'other Gjfficers, a,ll in; mufti, the servants, and. oun tw'o selves made up the party. I was placed i.n the front row. The Kaiser read some passages from the Bible expressing his misery and downfall, and afterwards the Lord’s prayer and another short prayer. When it was over ihe at once strode oyer to me. He knew nothing, 'of of my past, but s,oon seemed to perceive that I was hardly his man, though my deficiencies were supplied l by deep bow s and protestations, of everlasting fidelity and submission from my companion, an officer in the army. The. ex-Kaiser exchanged some talk abo.ut England with m l ©, but his questions and answers quite superficial and coimm’onpla.ce. All went to. show that he is still convinced, that the whole world is, and was wrong and he alone! is and was right. He referred to Hindenburg in speaking of “people who have seated themselves ■upon my throne,” apd expressed his conviction that one day “his people” would call him back to, reign gloriously over Germa,ny once more.. He is what he has always been, but, as a political factor 'he is as dead as: a door-nail,’and the more I heard from liim -and from his wife, who speaks in the same way about the future, the more i felt as if I were in a lunaftic asylum. Oun talk ended, he went ojlf with two o ( r .three 'of his officers to his daily occupation of felling trees. He is now nearly seventy, but. looks tlie picture of health.

His second wife is. quite intelligent She seemed to me to be the leader of propaganda—wha,t. thebe is of it—at Doaiin House. She. took me up toj her boudoir and had a long talk with me in the presence of her youngest daughter, a beautiful child of five or six. She complained bitterly of the “treason” of the Nationalists, who as the price of a, share in; the Government ha ; d consented to the clause in the 'Act fon. the safeguard O;f the Republic forbidding thje, Kaiser to return to Germany. Doorn House has now no political connection but with the extreme Right win.g, the tiny “Racist” or. Fascist party, she also complained bitterly that the commemoii’a,tion cf the Battle of Tannenberg, wh'en Hindenburg threw back the Russians, took, place without the Kaiser’s presence, “He cannqt get over it.” she said; “and he the author of the victory !” The whole visit was a Sorry if an interesting experience.