69

Two celebrations, one dignified, one raucous, were held last week on the 69th birthday of Wilhelm II, once Kaiser and All-Highest War Lord.

Because Princess Hermine, Consort of Wilhelm II, is mourning the death of her brother, Prince Henry of Reuss, and her son Prince George Wilhelm zu Schoenaich-Carolath, the celebration at Doom was simple, formal, private. Present was one-time Crown Prince Wilhelm but not many another. Arrived punctilious congratulations from Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and her mother, Dowager Queen Emma.

Raucous was the mock "Coronation Service" staged, last week on Wilhelm II's birthday, at Friedrichshain, Berlin suburb, by some 10,000 persons, the leaders being ultra-reactionary Ludendorfists. To entice a huge crowd Berlin had been postered with huge purple invitations to a coronation in effigy of Seymour Parker Gilbert, the Agent General of Reparations, who was styled "The New German Kaiser who rules with a top hat for a crown and a coupon clipper for scepter."

When curious throngs had gathered, a quite orderly political rally was held, the principal speaker, Fascist Reichstag Deputy, Kube, referring to the Agent General temperately as follows:

"Gilbert, a young man of 32, is the German Kaiser today. It is no more than fitting that we acclaim him as obedient subjects. Personally, we do not care a rap for him and are not inimical to him."