EX-KAISER'S EXILE LIFE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3141, 30 October 1922, Page 2

EX-KAISER'S EXILE LIFE.

(By George Ren wick.) A tireless, though stupid;, propaganda is kept going in Germany with the aim of convincing people that the ex-Kaiser Wilhelm is a patriotic, hghly cultivated man, the only possible saviour of Germany. He is depicted l as a person who has been terribly misrepresented and who lives a simple, almost Spartan life at Doom, suffering greatly in spirit on account of the troubles of the Fatherland. Great care has been taken, for instance, to "explain away" the 225,000 dols. he is to receive for his forthcoming book of memoirs, for that the exKaiser is going to accept "enemy money" is a hard nut for the faithful monarchists to crack. He is. represented as a poor man. so poor that he cannot subscribe to any German charities But this propaganda, like most propaganda, has overreached 1 itself in a book, expensively produced, just published here, under the title of "About the Kaiser at Doom." It is written by one of two young woman who evidently have, or have had. a, certain amount of freedom on the Royal exile's* Dutch estate. His bumble abodte is thus described:— "We crossed the broad lawn to the avenue' which leads to the castle and mounted the beautiful marble steps which the Kaiser brought here from his Berlin palace. Then we stood in the wonderful, newly-constructed hall of the bousei of Doom. "If you have travelled much, and have seen many magnificent castles, palaces and other buildings inside and out, it becomes in the end somewhat difficult to bo astonished at what one sees. Dorina said to me: 'Everything is very costly and choice in the Kaiser's surroundings.'

"So I knew that I would see much that watJ beautiful and unique. But when I stood in the great hall on the marvellous royal-blue silken carpet, a. present from the Shah of Persia, and my gaze took in all that was to be enjoyed, I felt that astonishment which I thought I had outgrown. "I saw. . . wonderful bronzes, inlaid cabinets, chairs, stools and tables with indescribably beautiful silken covers. And' I saw much more. ..." After that the secretaries of societies for feeding poor German children and other charitable organisations may be tempted to approach the ef-Kaiser again for small subscriptions. "In the tower is his study," the description goes on. "Here he sits many hours a day. They say he is busy writing a book. Ah, if the gift were only given him to present a graphic picture of his life and his thoughts ! What he would 'have to say ! He would not need even to be a complete artist, hut only to be truthful, so that no one, later on. might ascribe things to him which never took place." Apart from being a trifle out of date, this is not very happily expressed ! Hut: "See! There he goes along one of the paths of his park. Jt seemed to me as though the pain and bitterness of unjust suffering would suffocate him. But who knows what he really does foci? It is possible that he is quite calm in. his mind, that he was merely puzzling out some problem, and that in an hour he would sit down very happily at table with his companions."

Much more likely! The authoress even describes the place where the ex-Kaisre saws wood. She is lost in wonder as (she gazes on the scene. "Did the Kaiser really saw all that wood?" And there. is the little hut with many axes and saws, "each of which may. in future days, become an historic implement." And near this wonderful spot she plucks a couple of tall grasses.

"And when I sit in my room or in my garden," says the enthusiastic mon-archist-authoress, "the grasses seem suddenly to be given life. They tell me secret stories about the thoughts of the poor Kaiser when he is sawing wood, and the most wonderful thing is that they sound so true that one must believe them." Acli! Unfortunately, the volume does not include any of "the poor Kaiser's thoughts," but the authoress might do a good trade in Doom grasses were she to supply them to pensive monarchist circles.