GHOST OF THE PAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 8

GHOST OF THE PAST.

STRANGER AT THE HAGTJE<

WHIM OF GERMAN PRINCE, ,

REPARATION CONFERENCE STORY The curious story of how a ghost of Germany's past appeared in the inner council of the Reparation Conference is ' told by the Hague correspondent of the Berliner Tageblatt. One day when tho Political Commission was engaged in the discussion of some important problems, a stranßer entered the room ancJ took his seat at tho table. No one knew who ho was, but his air of assurance disarmed sus-i picion. Representatives of each nation knew that he was not one of themselves and'ascribed, him to some other, dele*, gation. Thus the Germans Relieved him to be an Englishman and the Enjtlish took him for a Frenchman.

The stranger sat through the discussion in attentive silence, and it was only at the close of tho sitting that the secretarygeneral of the Conference politely asked him if he had a delegate's ticket. This was at once produced and proved to be quito in order. The stranger then departed and ho. was never Keen again. The mysterious apparition might never have been explained but for the jocular remark, made to one of the Germans, "So you have now a real Prince in yoiir delegation 1" The man so addressed was not aware that any of his colleagues had such a quality. Inquiries were set on foot, which in due time revealed the fact that the stranger in tho Council, was oijo of the Princes of Saxe-Mciningen. He was holiday-making at Scheveningheu, and took it into his head to see sometiling of the inside working of tho Conference.-

As the simplest way of attaining tya purpose he, walked into the German Bureau at the Hotel Oranje, presented his visiting card and demanded a delegate's ticket. Whether with alacrity pr reluctance it is not stated, but at asiy rate bis wish was complied with, and the most jealously guarded doors at the Conference were flung open to him. 1

As a particularly piquant feature of the story, it is mentioned that when the princely ghost of Germany's autocratic past appeared in the midst of the Political Committee the future destinies of Europo were being arranged by a professor, an cx-teacher of mathematics, two innkeepers' sons, and a former artisan. V