At Doom

The Rt. Hon. Alexander Montgomery Carlisle, Privy Councilor to George V, famed naval architect and designer of the Titanic, returned to England last week after a short visit to Wilhelm, onetime Kaiser, at Doorn.

Said Mr. Carlisle (whose daughter married Baron Frederick von Versen, one of the Kaiser's aides, before the War): "It was just like the old days at Potsdam! . . . The ex-Kaiser's Lord Chamberlain met me at Utrecht with a luxurious limousine. . . .At Doorn I found if not a royal palace at least a most sumptuous residence.

"The ex-Kaiser greeted me vivaciously and seemed possessed of all his pre-War vigor. . . . His handsome white beard becomes him well, and he walks with the erect alertness of a man in good health He still retains all of his old dignity. It is ridiculous to picture him as 'the woodsman of Doom.' He is not the sort of man to chop down trees. . . .

"Dinner was a most imposing affair. Even in the old days at Berlin there was not more ceremony. The ex-Kaiser appeared in a glittering uniform, with decorations sparkling on his breast. . . . His consort (the former Princess Hermine) was magnificently gowned and all the staff were in full uniform. . . . I sat at the ex-Kaiser's right and next to me sat the Lord Chamberlain. . . ."

Remarks attributed to Wilhelm by Mr. Carlisle:

"I always have had friendly feelings toward England. . . . I am confident that if honest diplomacy had been used, and if certain members of the Cabinet had visited Berlin before the World War, things would have been very different. To some extent it was a war of lawyers and I have always disliked lawyers.

"I think the future of England is terribly insecure. Her financial burden would appear intolerable. She has to pay untold millions to the United States every year, whereas her allies are not paying their debts to her. . . .

"The great danger to the future of England and of the world lies in the East."

An anecdote concerning Margot Tennant, now the Countess of Oxford and Asquith, was related by the onetime Kaiser as follows:

"During my first state visit to England I used to ride in Rotten Row, Hyde Park, every morning at 8:30. One morning a lady on horseback dashed up against my horse and knocked my foot from the stirrup. I sent an aide after her to make inquiries. She came back blushing and asked my pardon. That evening King Edward said to me: 'So you met Miss Tennant in Rotten Row after all. She made a bet last night that she would introduce herself to you.'"