THE KAISER MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 67, 18 March 1916, Page 15

THE KAISER MYSTERY.

IS HE ALIVE OR DEAD T DUTCHMAN'S EXTEAOEDINABT SUGGESTION." In tie official and unofficial news cabled and sent by. wireless from various, cities on the Continent there are many conflicting accounts of the Kaiser's whereabouts and condition. According to one rapprt he is stiU In Berlin, ill of cancer and:th.e effects of an operation which may still prove.fatal. The Wolff Bureau—which is used chiefly for the circulation' of .official German" news of an inaccurate character—speaks of complete recovery, arid pictures him as inviting himself to luncheons with some of his favourite Ministers, and receiving ovations from his loyal subjects. Another report, from a less official. but equally unreliable source, states-that he has already,left Berlin,.and returned .to;tbe'f ront ,to.su.perintend the operations in one of the'theatres of the war. -Still another 'message,' wttich can be. traced-back to Germany, asserts'that h(s recovery is not yet : cpmplete,an6Vthat he has left Berlin, not the front, bjjt for a quiet haven in South Germany, where the postponed "operation will; shortly be petformed. Paris, mean while, iscpnviticed that the Kaiser is dying, and that the end is only a matter of weeks at most.; These various-reports to'cover all the possibilities,, and most of/the probabilities, of the position, but a Dutch correspondent, writing from Delft'to a;Glasgow merchant on matters \of • business, • makes a startling addition to the crop of" rumours. Aft.er dealing with business matters, the letter proceeds: "Can you .now .inform mc your opinion when the war will be ended? Here it is said that the ,Gertaan Emperor is. already dead,' and that the generals, etc., have hidden this becac.se theite may.be a revolution. I do not. know this as truth, but it may be that you know better. It is not published in the newspapers, but many friends have told mc it is quite so." The writer of this letter,-it may be mentioned, is-an excellentvarid', trustworthy man of business. . ■