Have you ever stopped to think what this world-war will mean to womankind? While thousands of Germans, Russians, French and English are daily slaughtered, wounded or captured, what does this mean to the thousands of women who are patiently waiting for their return?
Though the fewest of the European women want war, or are in any way responsible for it, they are taught to believe that every man belongs to his country first and to his family afterwards. If you were in Germany during this life-and-death struggle you would certainly find out that the German women are natural or at least trained Spartans. They are confident in the belief that however much a man is needed at home, he is more necessary to his country when she is in danger. This is the belief of rich and poor alike—the Kaiserin and the Crown Princess hold to this ideal. No less than the poorest Bavarian peasant woman, the Kaiserin and the Crown Princess were at Potsdam when the war broke out. They did not suffer their husbands' return to Berlin alone, but came into the city with them, drove through the city, and were recognized by the people as part protectors of the country. Whenever the Emperor came out on the balcony to address his people, he was accompanied by his wife. She showed so much self-control and determination that many of the people said they had two rulers instead of one.
When the Landsturm were called out it was rumored that the Emperor was going to leave Berlin for the front that very evening. One of the Kaiserin's intimate friends asked her what she would do while the Emperor was gone.
"What shall I do?" was the sensible reply. "But stay at home and look after all my children; this means all the women and children in the land who need me, as well as all the soldiers who are brought back wounded." That these were not idle words is shown by the fact that as soon as war was declared the Empress gave forty thousand dollars out of her own private fortune to the Red Cross. Ever since the war started she has spent all her leisure time visiting the different Red Cross hospitals to see that all the soldiers were getting the proper food and attention. Her work has not stopped here; she went to all the markets to see that all the provisions possible were being brought in to the people, and that food should not be raised above the ordinary prices. Though the Crown Princess is a happy mother of four lovely boys, as soon as the war broke out she and her children accompanied the Crown Prince to the palace. As she drove through the streets, she was received with the same enthusiastic cries as her husband, for she is greatly beloved by her people, and they knew that she would do her duty at home while her husband was leading his division to war. Her lovely face was brightened by the usual happy smile, showing that she was ready to do her part rather than to thrust her burdens on the world. She turned over one of her palaces at once as a hospital, and took personal charge of the work herself. She is doing as much work as the Red Cross nurses, and, though her husband has been in many dangerous positions since the war broke out, she has never shown any personal anxiety. That the Emperor appreciates this is shown by a telegram he recently sent to his daughter-in-law:
"I rejoice with thee in the first victory of William. God has been on his side and has most brilliantly supported him. To Him be thanks and honor. I sent to William the Iron Cross of the second and first class."
The other daughters-in-law of the Kaiser have shown the same courage and forbearance. Princess Eitel Friedrich said goodbye to her husband with as much enthusiasm, while the youngest, Joachim, who has just been married, was hurried to the church for a second marriage before the war. Even the young Princess Louise, who is the mother of a young baby, had to say farewell to her beloved husband who went to join his regiment. She went up to visit her mother for a few days in Berlin, and then hurried home to look after her baby and the people.
Their example has been followed by all the princesses of Germany who, besides acting as regents while their husbands are gone, are giving all their time to Red Cross centers. Hardly had the war been declared when thousands of women of all classes offered themselves to different Red Cross centers. When told that they had never had any training in Red Cross work they begged for some menial position, such as supplying the soldiers with food and drink as they came in and out of the stations.
Many have applied to the dietary cooking schools, where they are doing special cooking for the soldiers, and now they are glad that they were taught to cook at home.
Many of the maids in private homes are too impatient to stay and do their routine work, and they have also gone to the Red Cross centers without pay. As one maid said, in a small Bavarian town, "How can I see others working for their country while I stay on and work for myself? Though I have only two hands to give, I give them willingly for the Red Cross work. I can clean rooms and scrub floors, if I cannot do anything else."
This same determination and courage came to the women when they told their husbands and sweethearts goodbye. In the small towns the women and girls waited for hours to see their husbands and sons go out. Though their hearts may have been heavy, their faces wore happy smiles, as they shouted: "Alas, farewell!" or an enthusiastic: "Auf Wiedersehen." In their own homes they showed the same courage and determination, as one girl said to me, "I was coming home with my sweetheart yesterday, and I couldn't help but cry just a little when I told him goodbye, but my sister-in-law never shed a tear when her husband left. She got his things ready in a hurry, and, when he went down the street, she took her child on her arms and stood in the window waving to him until he was out of sight."
One German woman had six children and her husband go to war, and when one of her friends tried to console her, she answered: "My only regret is that I haven't six more to give to my country."
The officials' wives have shown the same splendid daring. Many of them are young married women with babies. They hurried to Berlin with their husbands to visit with them a day or two before the men should be called into active service. They were seen walking with them unter den Linden, or dining with them in restaurants. They talked of everything but war, and when the time came to say goodbye they hurried to the trains and bade them goodbye, as though they were only going on a short trip. The families in need of support, while husbands and brothers are gone, have found much protection in daughters and sisters. Thousands have taken up men's work in the cities and in the country. They are working long hours to fill the gaps in banks, postoffices and railroads. Most of the drygoods stores turned over the positions in the family to a wife or daughter so that the family may not need. Even girls offered themselves as conductors and motormen on street cars. They proved themselves competent for conductors, but they found the work of motorman too strenuous.
The women on the farms have been working long hours for their children, sometimes weakening under their load to bring in the rich harvest.
Though the Belgian men showed that they had splendid courage in fighting for their principle of neutrality, the real heroines were their women. In more combats than one, when they saw their men worsted, they seized the guns and swords strewn on the battlefields and even fought in hand combats with their enemies and would not give up even when worsted. When their houses and towns were on fire they refused to retreat. The consort of the king of Belgium, though she has three little children of her own, has given a large part of her private fortune and most of her time trying to provide her people with food and shelter.
Though Holland was the first to mobilize when war was declared. Queen Wilhelmina insisted, through her ministers, that her country was to keep perfect neutrality. This she has reiterated time and again. As she says, "Not that I have so much fear for the horrors of war, but I do not wish to see my women and children suffer the hardships resulting from war."
The French women have the reputation of being timid and light-hearted, but this war shows they have plenty of courage and self-control. When war first broke out in France some of the people, especially in the large cities, were hysterical, for they had not forgotten the experiences suffered in the Franco-Prussian war. But the courage shown by the women to do or die, soon brought a great reaction of self-control. Hundreds of women were seen promenading in the woods or sitting at the cafés just as though nothing important had taken place. Many of the wealthy French women in Paris and in the suburbs turned their beautiful homes into hospitals for wounded soldiers. Thousands of others have formed Red Cross centers. The more experienced in nursing hurried to get commissions following their husbands to the battlefield, while hundreds of less fortunate have been sewing at home or in schools. They have also been busy providing food and clothing for destitute families.
The English women are more isolated by their position, still they have not been lacking in providing their men with the few comforts that war can offer. They have formed Red Cross centers, gone off to nurse their soldiers and offered their services on battleships.
Though America has not been in the war her women have not been negligent in doing their part to allay the suffering and hardships of combat. No sooner was the rumor of war given than did the National Red Cross of America start a campaign for the purpose of sending Red Cross nurses and supplies to all great centers of Europe. This involved many technical difficulties as well as plenty of work and expense. For, besides painting the ship white, it was understood that the entire crew was to be American men. They had to get plenty of money together so as to make the work efficient. Before fitting out their supplies they canvassed the different countries of Europe, finding out what were the especial needs of the different armies. They heard that one country was in special need of stretchers, a second absorbent cotton, a third hospital gauze.
Thousands of Americans living abroad have joined the Red Cross centers of the cities in which they were living and are giving much of their time and money to strengthening the work.
Others who were in the war zone and waiting necessary accommodations to get home, interested themselves forming circles among their friends and giving their contributions to the general store, while the wives of our different ambassadors have stood at their post giving of their strength and fortunes to needy and destitute Americans, who daily come to them in distress. When advised that they should return home for safety they answered that their places were at the side of their husbands.
This is an epitome of what woman has done to relieve suffering, but what does war mean to her? It means the useless sacrifice of those that are nearest and dearest. It means the breaking of the nearest of the family ties, of the love and protection that makes these homes happy and complete. This war is daily creating heartaches and wounds for thousands of women and children that can never be compensated by any possible glory of war. This war will create millions of tear-stained faces, millions of breaking hearts that can never be comforted nor ever be made joyous. Even when these young widows reach an age when their hair will be tinged with white, they can never forget the hardships that are now being made by this ruthless combat. These women may yoke their backs to the burden and bear their suffering in silence, but the grief will be greater for being suppressed. The pictures of daily suffering are too dramatic and too intense to be forgotten in a year or in a lifetime. Millions of these women have gone through the trials and sufferings of child-birth with a joy in their hearts that they could be the proud mothers of good families. These same mothers are now being forced to give these sons for useless slaughter so that the greed of nations can be appeased.
But the hardships will not end with the loss of life, it will mean the sacrifice of every luxury, every comfort and even the bare necessities of life for thousands and thousands of women. The main support of their family gone, they will have to offer themselves as bread winners for their families. Thousands of good businesses and factories have already been swept to the ground, and thousands more will be destroyed before this war is ended. Millions of unprotected women and girls will cry for work, but after cities and towns are destroyed there will be little left for those in need.
But there will be other hardships for these many unprotected mothers and daughters. Thousands of families have worked and saved for years to buy small homes and farms which they might call their own, and these have been destroyed like beautiful grain by a horrible gale. Thousands of others have saved for years to possess small fortunes, and these have all been destroyed.
O, thinking woman, woman of all lands, do you call death, destruction of life and property, glory of war? Did God create human lives and fertile lands to have them all fall before the greed of man? If He had done this, He would be an unjust God, but since His watchword is "Glory to God in the Highest, Peace on Earth, goodwill to men," it is your duty, mother of the race to come, to cry halt to this awful carnage, to make your watchword in your prayer brotherly love instead of brotherly hate. For if there is one God, there is one brotherhood, and all humanity can only be linked to that God by brotherly love.
If "war is hell," then to be in a strange country without credit and funds is certainly purgatory. If you do not believe this to be true, ask any of your friends who happened to be in the war zone and they will certainly corroborate my story.
Though I was grief-stricken by the news that the great powers of Europe had decided to wage a world-war, I knew that this feeling was intensified when the banks of Germany refused to recognize any foreign letters of credit.
I should not have had a dollar to my name had my mother been well, but as she was quite sick I went to the bank twice that week, for I thought if she were worse later I could not leave her. We had just paid a week's board-bill and I vowed that we should not pay another until the banks gave us more money. I was so angry when I saw another week sneak round and another bill appear, that I left it unopened on my bureau for a week.
Before long I realized that being angry would do no good. I must hustle and get some credit. The first few days it was hopeless, for there was a perfect run on the two small banks in our town; sometimes there were several hundred people waiting at the doors for them to open. Most of these were Russians and Poles trying to get the money out of the banks and to hurry home before it was too late.
One day I worked my way through the crowd and got to the cashier's desk, where I was refused. The clerk said that he would give me change, but since England had made war it was foolish to take their checks, as it might be months before he could cash them. I saw it was foolish to argue the point, but I was furious, as up to this time he had been so solicitous about our having enough money.
The clerks at the other bank were even more disagreeable. They were all right to the Germans, but they treated Americans as a lot of dead-beats, who were more accustomed to travel on credit.
But I was comforted by the fact that though there were plenty of wealthy men in our sanitarium, they were all in the same box. There were a half-dozen millionaires whose united fortunes represented at least fifty million dollars, but they could not raise five hundred dollars on it. They said little, but the seriousness of their faces showed they thought much. If they ever knew what poverty meant it was so many years ago that they had forgotten all about its sting. These tight circumstances did not bring out the soft, kind side of their nature, it seemed to make them skeptics instead. They were silent and taciturn, and acted as though a short conversation indicated a "financial touch."
One of our multi-millionaires, who poses as a splendid church-worker, never let his acquaintanceship extend beyond a nod or a "how do you do," as though he thought a warmer friendship meant financial aid.
He was traveling with a friend who had less in fortune, but more heart. His friend promised to look after mother and me, but somehow the philanthropist put a damper on the promise.
I then turned to a wealthy brewer and he said that he would O. K. our bills if we did not get the money. This remained a promise, for he never was tested to put his promise into execution, though he did go into the bank one day and tell the clerk to give us twenty pounds more.
It came about, after worrying and waiting a week, in this way: The word came that our government had arranged so that we were to get some money on our letters of credit. After standing out in the hot sun a half-day the bank clerk gave my mother and me one hundred and fifty dollars on two letters of credit. I objected, saying that we were entitled to one hundred and fifty dollars apiece. The clerk replied curtly that the money to be paid out was at his discretion. The one hundred and fifty dollars was intended for traveling expenses until we should reach Berlin. He did not seem to take cognizance of the fact that we had a two weeks' board-bill to pay before we should get that far.
When I appeared with my mother a few days later in quest of more money he was furious, as he accused me of calling him a d— thing, though I had only accused him of being a disagreeable person.
It looked for a while as though the bank clerk was determined to have me arrested for calling him a bad name. I afterward learned that even in homes of peace you can be arrested for calling bad names and the offence becomes worse in war times. I was afraid that he might accuse me next of being a spy, so I made my escape and never saw the man again. The brewer and my mother finally quieted him and he gave us twenty pounds, or one hundred dollars, more. Some of the men finally arranged so that they got a few hundred dollars every week, at least enough to pay their board.
But I consoled myself by saying that there were some who had less credit than we had. There was an American man who had lived for years in China, and he said that he could not get a dollar. A Chicago lawyer took pity and shared his fifty pounds with him, trusting to fate to get some more.
After realizing fully that I could not get any money from the small bank, and in such desperate times it was foolish to depend on promises for aid, I decided to campaign for more money.
Just before the cables had been closed, I had been advised from home to seek advice and financial aid, if necessary, from two men in Frankfurt; the one I had met six months before and the other I did not know. At first I thought I would take a train and go up to Frankfurt to shorten the process of borrowing money. Though it is only a five hours' trip, under ordinary circumstances, from where I was, it had been prolonged to a fourteen hours' journey. I did not want to trust to the mail, as less than ten per cent. of the letters written were being received. I was glad to find out that I could wire for twenty-five cents, as money was too precious to be wasted on long distance messages, and it broke my heart every time I had to send a cable.
One evening I decided to find our Frankfurt friend. I soon discovered I had undertaken a large contract. When I looked in the directory I could not find his business address. I was about to give up in despair when the happy thought came that I might find it in the telephone book. I found the name, Heilburg, 61 Beethoven strasse. It's fortunate that many of the streets in Germany are named after the composers and artists, for though I had only been there once, I remembered they lived on a musical street.
After waiting a half-hour I got my party, and had as much difficulty in making him remember who I was as I had in holding an intelligible German conversation over the 'phone. I thought the man would drop at the 'phone when I asked him for two hundred and fifty dollars, and he compromised on half the amount. Though his intentions were the best, it took a week's hard telephoning every day until I actually had the money in my hand.
In the meanwhile I had received another cable from home telling me to call up a certain banker in Frankfurt. When I approached him on the same subject on the 'phone, he said he had never heard my name before, and I could not expect him to hand out money to a person he did not know. I acquiesced in his statement and said that his brother in America was a great friend of my brother. To this he answered he believed all I said was true, but did not see how he could loan me money without being authorized. Finally we compromised on seventy-five dollars, and he promised to let me have more if I sent our letter of credit. I refused to do that, as I knew it would only be lost in the mail.
I decided that I had enough to pay my board-bill for the next two weeks and that was a good deal more than others had, many of whom were living on credit or paying with checks and drafts. There were two or three of our guests who did not have dollar to their name, for all the English and French credit had been cut off. At the end of two weeks I saw my funds being depleted and I decided it was necessary to start on another campaign. In the meantime I had received a letter from a cousin in Dresden and I answered that I could use a little money. That week she sent me two hundred dollars, which paid our board-bill and debts accrued on telephone, telegraph and cable messages. When I left I still owed one week's board-bill. At first it looked as though our host did not intend to let us go without paying, but when he saw I was firm about paying no more he yielded, and said the rest could be paid after we got home. Money was so tight there for four weeks that anything beyond spending a penny for a newspaper was considered foolish extravagance, and I scolded my mother one day for spending twenty-five cents for flowers. Every time I took a carriage to make a long business journey I considered myself wicked, and a carriage ride for pleasure was out of the question. The only extravagance I knew was giving some money to the Red Cross society and some generous tips to the men who went off to the war. At times I thought I should forget how to shop if I ever reached the point where I had plenty of money of my own.
The condition of Americans in Berlin was not much better. I met friends with less than a dollar in their pockets. A doctor and his wife had come up from Carlsbad to Berlin with a quarter between them. Here they were fortunate enough to meet a friend who loaned them two hundred and fifty dollars for a ticket and traveling expenses.
There was a professor and his wife who were trying to get a second-class ticket on a Holland-American boat, though they only had twenty-five dollars in their pockets. They trusted to luck for their ticket and their money. Good fortune favored them, for on their way from Berlin to Holland they met a Southern man, who helped them get their ticket and paid for it.
Every day dozens of young girls who had been studying abroad, and teachers off for a summer's holiday, presented themselves at the German Embassy, telling their hard-luck stories of how they were down to the last cent, and that they would have to be home by the time school opened.
Mrs. Gerard took care of many of these cases herself and saw to it that they were provided with third-class tickets.
At the hotel where I was stopping I met an American lady with three daughters. She said that they had enough funds to take them home in four weeks by the strictest kind of management. The mother and the two young girls had taken over the task of doing the family washing in the bathtub, while the eldest girl was earning one dollar a day for stenographic work at the Embassy. A little later I met two girls who had been in Hamburg. They managed to pay their board and part of their tickets by helping the council out there.
I soon found out that even with money in my pocket, it was hard to make money count, for when it came to getting change they would only give you paper money of small denominations. Gold was the only thing that spoke, and silver was as much at a premium as paper was worthless. I found many people who were going without their next meal because they could not get their paper money changed. I went on a shopping expedition for an hour one morning, just to get a hundred marks changed. I was told that thousands of Americans were stranded in Switzerland, who were without a dollar and without a ticket. As a friend wrote to me, "It is a pitiable sight to see so many of our American women and children, including artists, invalids, school teachers, and mothers with families, who have been educating their children in Switzerland, driven almost to destitution. They come back with tears in their eyes from Swiss banks, because the clerks try to find any possible flaw in their drafts and refuse to honor their letters of credit. Even the more generous of these bankers have only a few hundred dollars a week on which to do business.
"Those of us who are living in Swiss families and boarding houses are fortunate, for the Swiss people are intelligent to understand our predicament and to feel sorry for us. But many have been living in fashionable hotels, where the prices mounted immediately when tourists came piling in by the hundreds. These proprietors expect to have their bills paid weekly, which means that many of their guests are without a dollar. I am sure that more than one wealthy woman has parted with more than one handsome piece of jewelry to pay a week's board bill for herself and her children. The question uppermost in every one's mind is, "When will the Tennessee with its chest of two hundred million dollars arrive, voted by Congress for the relief of Americans?"
"I am sure that the greatest hardships are being known by those who have been living in the mountain resorts in Switzerland, where they have been cut off from all communication. I have seen a number of such people come staggering into our town carrying dress-suitcases, exhausted for want of food and sleep."
On our boat coming home there were a number of destitute cases, men and women without a dollar to their name. After a few days a committee of wealthy men got up a fund to help them out. The day before our boat landed a New York Citizens' Club sent word to our captain that they should look up the destitute cases and they should be provided with money when they reached New York. Among the cases presented some were worthy and some were not. One woman made her plea that she had been separated from her husband a few years before, as a reason for getting money, though she had plenty to take her home.
The American women had been made destitute by losing all their baggage and can count their material wealth in dress-suitcases. The first time I decided to start for Holland the railroads were allowing tourists to take their trunks with them, but two weeks later they said they would not be responsible for any baggage taken. The most daring took a chance, only to leave their luggage in the stations. I saw stations that were piled high with five thousand and more American trunks. Some of the people were fortunate to get their trunks to the frontier, only to lose them on the boundary line. My mother and I left eight trunks on the other side. These are divided between France and Germany. Still we are glad that they are distributed in this way, for however the war goes, we ought to get some of our belongings. On our boat I heard that there are nearly a hundred thousand American trunks in Paris and the same number in London. Unless these trunks are regained, many a woman will have to content herself with two dresses and one hat this winter.
On our boat many a woman bewailed the loss of her trunks, as she said, "Just to think, this is my first trip to Europe and I haven't got one thing to show for it. It has been the dream of my life to say I owned a Paris dress and hat. A hundred dollars is a good deal to pay for a hat and a dress, but certainly they were worth it, if I only had something to show for it.
"I didn't mind for myself, but it doesn't seem like being away unless you have presents for the family at home. I had bought my sisters each a handsome evening bag, mother a handsome scarf and father a beautiful amber pipe."
These hard straits are in marked contrast with the luxurious way in which Americans have been traveling and living abroad the last ten years. Our steamers have reached a point where they were perfect ocean palaces, comparable with the finest New York hotels. The hotels in Europe have been transformed from simple boarding houses to marble palaces, equipped with every luxury and comfort. A room and bath in any first-class hotel brought seven dollars a day and a suite of rooms at thirty was not considered extreme. Many of the restaurants were so fine and fashionable that they didn't even print prices on their bills of fare.
In the summer resorts ten years ago, a hotel keeper boasted of having an omnibus to take the people to the station, an elevator and a few bathrooms. To-day these simple hotels have been transformed into perfect palaces. Golf links, tennis courts and tango teas. The Americans are in no small part responsible for these high prices and foolish luxuries. These hard times, experienced in the war zone, may result in bringing them to their common sense, so that they can again enjoy the simple living.
If you were only in Holland for a few days you would find out that Wilhelmina is the best ruler in Europe and one of the ablest stateswomen. No sooner had Europe gone to war than she had her government give orders for mobilization. Little Holland was the first after the declaration of war to declare neutrality, and they have kept their faith in not giving aid nor showing any partiality to either side. This has been no small task, for England has been pressing her on one side to join the allies and Germany would like to use her in a material way, especially in the bringing in of food supplies. England has time and again made charges that she was assisting Germany in spite of her neutrality. On the other hand England has several times seized food supplies that belonged to Holland, saying that she was importing them to send them on to Germany.
In spite of these difficulties, such as seizing Dutch boats, because they carried Germans and Austrians going home to fight for their country, the Queen of Holland, backed by her country, has shown an abundance of common sense.
At a recent opening of Parliament she addressed her people, saying she hoped she could keep perfect neutrality. This they would do unless they were forced into the war, for both she and her people wanted peace more than anything else in the world.
In order to maintain this peace in an honorable way, she, sided by her ministers, has done everything in her power to make a bold stand should one or the other of the nations cross the boundary.
When in Holland a few weeks ago, I had the good fortune to cross one of the Dutch frontiers. The boundary was well guarded with men to see that none of the marching men nor contraband of war should be carried across the border.
The entire standing army and a large part of the reserves, nearly a hundred thousand men in all, are scattered between the cities and the boundaries. It is said that she can call a much larger force to the front in case of actual warfare than she has at present. In nearly all the large cities, such as The Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, I saw a large number of young men going through all kinds of military tactics. They were learning how to drill, how to fire, how to dig ditches and build impromptu forts in haste.
That Holland is determined to make a bold stand and fight for her rights if needed, is shown by the fact that she has mined her coast and dynamited her bridges so that she can cut her dams on short notice.
There was such a rumor the day we were at The Hague. It had been falsely rumored that the German Consul had been recalled that day and that the country would be flooded within twenty-four hours.
The Dutch took little credence of these wild rumors, and continued their business and went through their work of mobilizing in the same quiet, energetic way. In spite of their delicate position, there is not a country in Europe that seemed less interested in the war than this north country. The hotel-keepers were too busy looking after the welfare and comforts of tired Americans to take time to discuss war. The shopkeepers were too busy supplying the tourists who had any money left with old Dutch silver and delftware to worry about the war. While the steamship company were too occupied enlarging their boats with auxiliary cabins, getting extra crews and recalling their captains, who had already been sent to the front, to bother their heads about war scares. It may be a mere coincidence, still it is a strange one, that some of the persecuted forefathers fled from England and remained in Holland until they came to our America. It is just a little strange that an American gave such a handsome peace palace to the world, and it should find its place in Holland. It is no less strange that the Queen of Holland and her ministers have taken such an active part in all the peace movements. In the last few weeks they have been most energetic in succoring Americans who fled from Germany and Austria, and she has been most active in getting these refugees home.
As I saw the Queen of Holland leave her palace one afternoon in an automobile, the crowds waiting about her palace to greet her showed that she is near and dear to all her subjects. The fact that she was not surrounded by any soldiers or civil service men shows that she has nothing to fear from assassins. Every man in the crowd took off his hat as a mark of respect, while the women greeted her with shouts and the waving of handkerchiefs.
Though she is the third richest ruler in Europe, she refuses to indulge in any foolish extravagance. Her palace at The Hague is pretty, but simple, while she finds the one in Amsterdam too large and too expensive for common use. She spends a large part of her own private fortune for providing Creches, an old people's home. She is never so happy as when she finds among her people an energetic mother with a good-sized family. The one great unhappiness in Queen Wilhelmina's girlhood was that she wanted children and was deprived of having them. Her mother and friends say that she has grown ten years younger since she had her little daughter. She is the pride of her mother's heart, though the Queen makes every effort to see that she is not pampered by herself or her subjects.
Although Queen Wilhelmina is fonder of her home and more interested in the welfare of her subjects than she is of public life, she is a splendid stateswoman and diplomat.
She never signs any paper, whether it is important or unimportant, without carefully studying its contents. There is little about the history of her people or her kingdom that she does not know, for she believes much of her ability as a ruler depends on her knowledge of the past history of her country. She is very proud of her own ancestors and her people, because she says that they have been brave at sea and at home and have always aimed to play fair. She has not been blind to the fact that her neighbor, England, has been jealous of some of her colonies, especially of Java. But she does not believe in worrying about that fact.
On the other hand, she is also aware that in the past Germany dreamed of some day uniting Holland to her own territory, if not by conquest by the coming of a German heir. The Queen smiles when she thinks of the Dutch people becoming English or Germans, for she says they are too fond of flowers, windmills, cows and meadows to be anything but good Dutch people. The Queen of Holland realizes that her people are divided in their feeling in this war. The peasants and the fisherfolk feel that they have more to gain by being friends of England, and they are strong pro-English in their feeling. The aristocratic party sympathizes with Germany, either because they have large business interests in Germany or they are related by inter-marriage. Though the Queen of Holland is married to a German prince, her attitude is one of neutrality in thought and action. Whenever any of her politicians or friends try to get her frank opinion she changes the subject by talking of home affairs, such as "How is your lovely wife and your family?" Because she is interested in the things nearest to her country and to her heart, she develops the trades of her people instead of spending their money for building great bulwarks of defense against the enemy that may want to devour her. She places more confidence in the men of her country and their loyalty, aided by her dams and dykes, than in a large costly army and navy.
It is a well-known fact, that in case of war, monarchs have a new responsibility thrown upon them, for they become commanders of the army along with their executive duties. Most of these direct their campaigns from their own royal palaces and from the ministry of war. An exception to this is that of Albert First, third king of Belgium, and the Emperor of Germany.
When King Albert saw that his country was being attacked, and his people in danger, he took command of the army and left his wife to guard his three lovely children. Crown Prince Leopold, aged thirteen; Prince Charles, aged eleven, and the little Princess Marie Jose, aged nine. It was with trepidation and great grief that he told his young and beautiful Queen Elizabeth, of Belgium, formerly Princess of Bavaria, good-by. She reminded him that her courage and determination had in no small part contributed to the reconstruction of the commerce, finance and order of their kingdom. If she had done this much she certainly could look after her own family now and do her part to ease the suffering of her people. She showed that this was more than a promise, for as soon as orders came for the evacuation of Brussels she and her children left the palace and sought a new and simple home in the heavily fortified town of Antwerp. This queen, who had endeared herself to her people by her heroism and thoughtfulness, was determined to do her duty now as she has always done since her husband came to the throne. Wasting no time, she planned for the comforts of her children for the time she would be gone, and then enrolled as a Red Cross nurse. She has entered thousands of homes, left grief-stricken by the horrors of war, and has comforted thousands of heart-broken wives and mothers. Kind words are only a small part of her methods. Where they have been destitute for want of money and food she has made every effort to see that they were relieved of these material wants. Not discouraged by the fact that she can get but a limited amount of money from the public treasury at this time, she uses most of her private fortune to carry on her work. In towns where she has visited and found families left shelterless, by the burning and sacking of homes, she has worked with tremendous energy to get these families into safe quarters and paid the rent herself. She has found work for hundreds of women to do in the fields and has given Red Cross work to many more, paying them out of her own purse. The Empress of Germany was not crushed by the news that Germany was about to enter into a world war. When her husband appeared on the royal balcony and made his address to his people she was at his side, and though her face looked careworn there was no sign of weakening. While he was busy consulting with high government officials and ministry of war she was equally energetic doing her part to organize the Red Cross work throughout her empire. She at once gave thirty thousand dollars to the national fund, and from time to time has added to the general contribution. It is said that the Emperor wept when he heard there was no alternative but war and explained to his sons that they must all go to the front at once, but his consort showed no sign of weakening, as she told her sons, one by one, good-by, and even when the Sunday night came and she had to bid farewell to her husband. She busies herself all day sewing for the Red Cross and visiting the many hospitals in Berlin, to which thousands of wounded soldiers are brought.
Though the Crown Princess Cecelia has had the reputation of being worldly-minded and fond of all out-door sports, ever since the war broke out she has shown that she has a very serious side to her make-up. She was in Potsdam with her four boys when the war news came, and when the Crown Prince hurriedly made up his mind to go to Berlin, she and the children accompanied him. When they drove through the streets thousands of her country women greeted her with shouts and tossing of flowers and her happy, sweet manner, so free from fear, did much to inspire them with added courage. She drove to the station with her husband when he went to join his regiment, and instead of shedding tears she laughingly suggested that he write her and the children a love letter every day. Then she busied herself looking after the palace she had given over for a hospital, looking after every detail of its furnishing. Though she has four children of her own, who take much of her time, she never lets a day pass without visiting this hospital in person and makes it a point to see that every need of the wounded soldiers is gratified. She has given much enthusiasm to her two sisters-in-law, along with many thousands of German women, in their Red Cross efforts. Because of her energy there are few circles of women in Berlin, even to the American women living there, who are not doing Red Cross work.
Though Holland was the first country to mobilize its army after war was declared, the Queen of Holland explained to her people that since Holland was a peace-loving country, it would keep the strictest neutrality. Though the country has been goaded on by the promises of gains on both sides, their little Dutch ruler has refused to allow her people to do the slightest thing that might break her neutrality. Though not a week has passed since the war began, without there being rumors that Holland was about to be thrown into the arena of war and the country to be flooded, Queen Wilhelmina tends to her affairs of state and goes about her social duties just as though Europe were in a state of perfect tranquility. On the opening of Parliament, the other day, she discussed conditions and expenses caused by the war and explained that whatever this mobilization might cost they would continue to enforce this principle of neutrality.
Queen Mary, of England, has always enjoyed the reputation of being a good mother and a capable housekeeper, rather than a social leader, since her husband came to the throne. But ever since war was declared, in England, she has been tremendously active in doing her share to supervise and enlarge the Red Cross work. Though she never discusses the war with her husband or friends she spends every bit of her leisure making the rounds through all the hospitals in London, which are looking after wounded soldiers. Very wealthy, in her own right, she has contributed quite a fortune to increasing the number of hospitals in London and adding to the Red Cross staff. Her approach is always known by the many bundles she brings with her. More than once she has heard a sick soldier ask for something special to eat, a new pipe or a book, and she makes it a point the next day to see that his wish is gratified. Though she has the reputation of being reticent among her friends, she never goes through a ward without passing a personal remark to every one of the wounded soldiers. Every one of her acquaintances at court is doing Red Cross work, and many of them have entered into actual nursing on the battlefield largely through their queen's initiative.
Though Queen Elena of Italy is a Montenegrin princess, she has discouraged her people from joining the Allies, after they had promised neutrality. At times this is no easy matter, as all of Italy seems eager either to join the German flag or the standard of the Allies. Though it would seem that the Queen might share the prejudices of her people, still she has not forgotten the promises her country has made to Germany and Austria. Because of this fact she allows nobody in her presence, whether friends or employes in her home, to enter into a discussion of the present war.
It is also well known that Roumania only needs a spark to catch the flame, believing it may be possible for her to get something out of this present upheaval, but their sensible Queen Carmen Sylvia is using her talented pen to speak the word of peace, while her daughter-in-law is employing her schools of sewing to contribute their part to the national Red Cross work. The lovely Queen of Greece never loses an opportunity, and up to the present time has been a potent factor in keeping her country out of war. Though America has no queen to inspire us to the needs of suffering humanity in this crisis, through the initiative of many noble women, a Red Cross ship was fitted up at great expense to bring money, nurses and hospital supplies to all the Powers at war. Hundreds of circles are busy at work in many of our cities sewing for the National Red Cross Society, or for some special Red Cross center. Thousands of women, made refugees by the war in Europe, many of whom are still unable to get home, are giving much of their time and as much money as they can afford to the Red Cross work. No less important has been their work of praying that war shall end and peace shall once more be established. For these women are determined that, if their voice counts, life shall never again be destroyed by war.
It has been rumored time and again that there is a possibility of most of the monarchs being put out of business by this war. The question then presents itself: "What may happen to their children?" Certainly if the Emperor were to be exiled, his sons have been so well educated that they will have no trouble in making a living at home or abroad. All except the youngest one, Prince Joachim, have visited one or the other of the German Universities. They are well versed in the history of all countries as well as the literature and fine arts, so they would have little trouble in offering themselves as exchange professors in some of our large American universities. Certainly their culture and information as to the real causes of the war would be valuable, and it would also do much to bring the two countries into closer and friendlier relations.
If the Crown Prince did not favor this idea he would be counted an asset with his charming wife and their lovely family, both in our diplomatic society in Washington and among the most ultra society of Newport. For both the Crown Prince and his charming wife are very fond of Americans and have always shown a decided interest for everything American including the tango, ragtime, golf and tennis.
If the Czar of Russia should be put out of business he would find that his young heir would have to become more of an athlete and less pampered to be popular among young American boys, especially if he ever aspired to an American university. Still the Czarina's daughters are so beautiful and charming they would soon be made welcome wherever they went. Their perfect manners and careful education would make them noticed anywhere and they are all beautiful dancers.
The Prince of Wales, much like his grandfather, King Edward, is a born diplomat and might certainly make himself valuable at our diplomatic court in Washington. Diplomacy is his natural bent, though he has felt it his duty to study the tactics of the navy. He has traveled much and has made it a point to study the life of a people wherever he has gone. His younger brothers have had a fine military and naval training and could certainly become officers in our own navy. His sister, the Princess Mary, is as charming as she is unspoiled. Clothes and jewels play a small part in her life. She is a great reader and fond of traveling. Her bringing up might show many an American mother how to bring up a daughter, heir to wealth and position, without being spoiled.
If the King of Italy were to be put out of business along with the others, his family, as neighbors, would be a pleasure anywhere, for both his little daughters and his two sons are as unspoiled as any children could be expected to be. They ride horseback, climb mountains, and fish and enjoy any kind of outdoor life without being a nuisance to their people or those about them.
The Queen of Belgium has three young children, just like steps. Though they are the loveliest among the royal children, they are the least spoiled. When their mother assumed the duties of housewife in Brussels, she surrounded her children with plain, wholesome conditions. The late King Leopold had robbed the palace of much of its splendor, but this sensible Queen was pleased to see that her children could be brought up in a plain atmosphere. Her two boys are splendid sailors and would have no trouble in entering the naval academy in our own country, while her little daughter knows all about housekeeping and is a beautiful sewer. She would certainly be a prize to any young man looking for a sensible wife.
Though kings sometimes have queer ideas as to what is best for their country, they, advised by their wives, nearly always train their children in a plain, sensible fashion. Though they are surrounded by luxury, they enjoy very little of it themselves. Before they are very old their hours are filled with study of some kind, and they are given little time for play. Their days are crowded with military tactics, studies of their own and foreign countries, and diplomatic relations. An hour or two of rest a day is considered sufficient recreation and their summer vacations are limited to weeks instead of months.
THE GERMAN EMPEROR AT CLOSE RANGE
A great deal has been said about the firing lines of the different European countries, but little is known of the war lords at close range. Though I have never hobnobbed with royalty I have lived for long stretches of time in the different capitals and cities of Europe, especially in Berlin. There I have seen the Emperor and most of his family.
I have seen William II driving through the Brandenburger gate hurrying from his city. I have seen him taking five-o'clock tea with his wife, his sons and their wives at Sans Souci, in Potsdam. I have seen him addressing his people out on the balcony of his palace after war had been declared.
In these three instances I saw three different types of man; the statesman, the father of a happy home, and the war lord.
He is more than average tall and well built, still in the prime of life. His strong body and healthy color mark him as a man alive with energy.
He stands for the famous Hohenzollern, challenging eyes, full lips, retroussé mustache and imperious air. Still, as I looked at him more closely, I noticed that his left arm is withered—almost of no use. In spite of this hindrance he is an excellent, easy horseman, as much at home in the saddle as are his great generals. When at manœuvres he has been known to sit nine hours at a time without any feeling of exhaustion. He proves himself no less energetic when hunting, which has been a favorite pastime for years. He has made a record of shooting for hours at a time without feeling much fatigue, even when bringing-down game two a minute.
He has made hundreds of speeches on all subjects, that showed a gift of natural eloquence as well as a keen and impetuous nature. He believes in the divine mission of the Hohenzollern. As he expresses it: "It is a tradition in our house to consider ourselves as designed by God to govern the people over which it is given us to reign. Every day I think of ways of helping you, but you must help me, not by means of the opposition parties that you have so often rightly combated, but by explaining to your sovereign and having confidence in him."
Bismark disputed the Emperor's right to act directly with his ministerial colleagues, citing a decree attributing to the Prime Minister alone the responsibility for official acts and prescribing that no important measure should be adopted without prior submission to him.
It is to his army that he looked for greatest strength and support. "In my army we are made one for the other, and we shall remain closely bound whether God gives us war or peace. It is the soldier and the army, not majorities and parliamentary decisions, that have forged the unity of the German Empire."
He has a thorough knowledge of engineering and electricity, paints pictures, plays chess, and he does all this with the use of his one hand. He feels that all these things are his avocations, an outlet for his energy. With his great talent for organization, he realized that a country to be prosperous needs factories and plenty of trade schools. He was absorbed in the trade and commercial schools along with the school of forestry, which have had an international and enviable reputation, and which has made Germany one of the great industrial powers of modern times. He gave every incentive to have his men stay at home in encouraging all kinds of factories, lake, and water ways, the building of canals, ocean liners and merchant marine. For it was the increasing of the numbers of ocean liners and merchant marine that made German merchandise popular and well-known in most of the ports of the world.
He has kept abreast of the times regarding the manufactures in England and the United States. He has always taken an active interest in the machinery and electrical contrivances used in American factories and in the home.
Every year he sent many men to this country to study the methods employed in our shoe factories, tanneries, cotton mills, our electrical appliances and telephone services. As a result many of the German factories have the best of American machinery, American mechanics at the head, and they have worked out their telephone service, typewriters, adding machines and cash registers after our designs. Though the Emperor spent much of his time enlarging the army and navy, he considered these as a safeguard to his country, but it is the commercial interests of Germany he has at heart most.
He loved to read about the Panama Canal and to hear people discuss it, for he recognized it as the great engineering feat of the century. He would rather had it said that Germany had built the Panama Canal than that she had organized the largest and strongest army in Europe. So eager was he to know all these things that he mastered six languages fluently. He began his day's work at seven and continued it until five, with a short interval for his noonday meal and afternoon drive. Though he often had a few intimate friends to supper, his evenings usually finished with work which lapsed way into midnight.
Though the Emperor is often blamed as having precipitated the war, the point is overlooked that Servia, backed by Russia, was trying her utmost to disintegrate Austria. When Austria made war on Servia without consulting Germany, it was the war party in Germany that held it was up to Germany to help her ally. The Emperor of Germany was lukewarm in this matter. He felt that the war should be confined to Austria and Servia. He was surprised and grief-stricken when he returned to Berlin and learned what had happened. It was only after he learned that England and France were backing Russia that he considered the war justifiable.
As he said, when he made his speech from the balcony, he hoped that German swords should only be drawn to protect the fatherland. But after war was once declared he showed, by the way he talked and discussed war matters with his generals, that he was a worthy pupil of the great Von Moltke, and a firsthand strategist. For he had not forgotten Von Bulow's plea to his countrymen, that under no circumstance would France pardon or forget the seizure of Alsace Lorraine by the victorious Germans of 1870. On this head he writes:
"When we consider our relations with France, we must not forget that she is unappeased. So far as man can tell, the ultimate aim of French policy for many years to come will be to create necessary conditions which to-day are still wanting for a settlement with Germany, with good prospects of success."
Of Anglo-German relations Bismark wrote: "England is certainly disquieted by our rising power at sea and our competition which incommodes her at many points. Without doubt there are still Englishmen who think that if the troublesome German would disappear from the face of the earth England would only gain by it. But, between such sentiments in England and the fundamental feeling in France, there is a marked difference which finds corresponding expression in politics. France would attack us if she were strong enough. England would only do so if she thought she could not defend her vital economic and political interests except by force."
Though Europe was on the brink of war time and again during the twenty-six years of his reign, the Emperor always cast his vote for peace, as one of our great statesmen, William H. Taft, said on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Emperor's reign: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating. When the German Emperor went upon the throne and developed his independence of Bismark and his intention to exercise his own will in the discharge of his high functions, there were many prophecies that this meant disturbance of the peace of Europe. Instead of that the truth of history requires the verdict, that considering the critically important part which has been his among the nations, he has been for the last quarter of a century the greatest single individual force in the practical maintenance of peace in the world."
Likewise Theodore Roosevelt says of him, he was "The one man outside this country from whom I obtained help in bringing about the Peace of Portsmouth, was his Majesty William II. From no other nation did I receive any assistance, but the Emperor personally and through his Embassador in St. Petersburg, was of real aid in helping to induce Russia to face the accomplished fact and come to an agreement with Japan—an agreement the justice of which to both sides was conclusively shown by the fact that neither side was satisfied with it.
"This was a real help to the cause of international peace, a contribution that far outweighed any amount of mere talk about it in the abstract, for in this, as in all other matters an ounce of performance is worth a ton of promise."
Though Emperor William has been accused of having precipitated the war, he was off on his yacht taking a vacation when the murder of the Austrian nobles took place, and Germany faced the question of war through her alliance. It is said that the Emperor broke down and sobbed like a child when he met his sons in his study after war had been declared.
As Andrew Carnegie recently explained: "The Kaiser himself is a marvelous man, possessed of wonderful ingenuity. He has done more good for Germany than any other man before him. He has built up a great foreign commerce and a marvelous internal business."
The trouble was started by the German military caste that rules the country. They are responsible for the war. The Kaiser gathered around him a group of men who, unknown to him, acted in concert, and in his absence took the action that could not be altered.
The Kaiser has always been devoted to his home and his children. He has given much time to their education, for he believes firmly, "Spare the rod and spoil the child." Though he has the reputation of being severe, he is far more lenient with other people's children than his own.
His sons were trained to serve in the army quite like the sons of the poorest peasants, and when the war broke out they were the first to hurry to their regiments. Though one of his sons had just been married, he had to leave his bride like all other young lovers.
The Empress has been a splendid check on the Kaiser's strong and determined nature, for though she is submissive and tender, she has great poise and is extremely restful. She has never worried him about her domestic affairs and still she has taken a keen interest in all his doings.
The Crown Prince is different from his father in build, as he is in all other respects. He is tall and slight, good-looking and gracious, and acceptable to his people. Next to taking an active interest in his wife and children, America appeals to him most.
Though he is much more of a soldier than a diplomat or statesman, he is more democratic than his father, and he is tremendously popular with his people on that account. This he has shown to his men ever since he went to the front; the comfort of his soldiers is constantly before him. He makes it a point to see that his men are provided with socks and shoes. When a student at the University of Bonn he had the reputation of being a good mixer. In spite of his fair hair and blue eyes he has always been closer to the war party than has his father. He is a fearless horseman and has a deep knowledge of military tactics. The Crown Prince received his first military training when he was hardly large enough to mount a horse. He and all his brothers have continued this training all through their boyhood. First the Crown Prince went to the Prince's Academy Military School at Ploen, and completed this work at Danzig. Though a severe leader, he has always been the idol of his regiment, for he never asks his people to do the things he is unwilling to undertake himself.
He has always been as popular with women as with his soldiers. He is exceedingly fond of American women and has been admired by many an attractive American girl. Several times he had his heart set on taking one for a wife, but his father showed him the impracticability of such a venture. But he is extremely fond of his home and devoted to his wife and four lovely boys. They are splendid comrades, much more so than the average German woman is with her husband. When the war broke out Princess Cecilie said that she would join her husband at the front just as soon as she could. One of the dispatches sent by way of The Hague from Berlin says that Cecilie, the German Crown Princess, accompanied by her two eldest sons, left Berlin to join her husband at his headquarters in France. She proposed personally to bestow decorations upon officers of her dragoon regiment. Though the Crown Princess is naturally delicate, having inherited tubercular tendencies from her father, she and her husband, along with the children, devote much of their time at winter sports in Switzerland. She and her children toboggan, ski, skate on the ice, and partake of all winter sports. She is so fond of exercise that she sometimes neglects the question of handsome costumes. On more than one state occasion she has had to devise something in a hurry because her wardrobe had run low. She takes more pains selecting her sporting costumes than her evening toilettes. The first time the Emperor laid eyes on her he was charmed by her beauty and grace; as he told one of his friends, "I might look the kingdom over and I could not find a lovelier wife for my son."
She is no less beloved by her mother-in-law, the Empress. When she should come to the throne the Empress imagined she would be spoiled, as she was used to having her own way. To her surprise she found the Crown Princess a capable home-maker and an ideal mother. She loves to ride and romp with her four children, and she is the liveliest of the number. From the time the war broke out until the present moment she has never shown the least sorrow at being alone with her children. Her one great ambition has been to allay the suffering of her people. She is a great favorite with her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. When the young Princess Victoria Louise fell in love with Prince Ernst, the Duke of Braunschweig, the young girl confided the secret to her sister-in-law, who did more than her share to bring the romance to a happy issue. When one of the Crown Prince's brothers fell in love with one of his mother's ladies in waiting, the Crown Princess took her under her wing and thus allayed the Emperor's displeasure. Though Prince Eilet's wife has the name of being haughty, she has never shown that disposition with the Crown Princess, with whom she is on friendly terms.
The Emperor hates pomp and display, and all his family follow his precepts in enjoying a simple home life. They are seen to best advantage in their lovely gardens at Potsdam, having five-o'clock tea on the lawn, happy and care-free away from the pomp of the court.
He is equally proud and happy with his other children, August Wilhelm, Oscar, Adelbert and Joachim. Like the patriarchs of old he takes himself seriously, too seriously, happy in devoting his whole energy and intelligence to his people.
KING GEORGE V HEAD OF THE ALLIES