THE GERMAN PRESIDENT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 18 August 1922, Page 1

THE GERMAN PRESIDENT.

In n social sense, President Friedrich Ebert of Germany isjn-obnbly the most retiring chief of airy "European democracy. Society as it is understood in otlier capitals; is non-existent in.Berlin. Tlie great majority of the old Prussian aristocracy have withdrawn to the seclusion of their country es-

tates. They have no desire to mix with the "newly rich," and the new order of things is frankly repugnant to them. Visitors are few at 73 Wilbelrastrasse, and no country cousins

stop to gape at the old palace of the erstwhile court marshal, which the President of the German Republic has made hiis home. Baorely is the ex-sad-dler seen, or recognised in public and picture postals of raembers of the Hohenzollern family are more plentiful in stationery stores than those of Fritz Ebert. A formal reception at the .presiden-tial-residence, is therefore something of an event in Berlin. For the first time HeiT Ebert lately entertained about 100 of the most prominent German citizens w'ho have made their peace with the present regime, or nearly so. Besides Cabinet Ministers and chiefs of departments, there were uniyersity professors,, poet's, sculptors, musicians, painters, actors, and authors. President Ebert, welcoming his guests spoke of his desire to meet personally the present leaders of thought, arts and sciences of the Fatherland, and dwelt en the importance such gather-? iugs -ivould have in fostering culture which he conceived it was the task of the new Republican regime sedulously to promote.