The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1909. THE KING AT BERLIN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2423, 11 February 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1909. THE KING AT BERLIN.

The King and Queen, who are visiting Berlin this week, will remain in Germany about ten days, a sufficient period to enable the leaders of political and social life in Germany to gain an intimate insight into the personal characteristics of Britain's Sovereign and Queen. It is easy to attach overmuch importance to the personal movements of royalty. We are apt to forget that monarchs are. human; but on this occasion, at any rate, there is no denying that the It oval visit will have considerable diplomatic significance. There is more than meets the eye in the fact that the commercial and middle classes expressed a desire to give the King a special welcome. Edward VII. is the constitutional monarch of the kind that has become the German ideal since the indiscretions of the personal regime of the Kaiser have become intolerable. While responsible acts of State must he the work of responsible Ministers there is still left a considerable field for the monarch to work in. Those who represent the monarch as a mere glittering, figurehead of empire take a very shallow and unpbilosophicai view of the facts. The personal tact and capacity of King Edward are an asset in high politics quite beyond the ceremonial functions of the Grown, and it wonld appear that middle-class Germany has seized upon this point and has purposely emphasised it by the kind of reception tendered to the Kiiig. Moreover, this welcome links up closely with a popular movement that was reported earlier iu the year. We then learned that Anglo-German commercial interests wero forming a strong association to maintain friendly relations between the two nations. Dr Von Holleben, ""formerly Ambassador at Washington, was at the head of this organisation, and the committee was said to he representative of all Germany. Britain and Germany are both great commercial rivals, and in the stress of keen competition occasional bitterness is certain to ho engendered, but that is no reason for an appeal to military or naval strength. • It is the peculiar significance of the King’s visit, however, that while it will mako a special appeal to the German people it will also have a direct

personal effect on the German Emperor himself. William 11. is amenable to the tact and reasonableness of the King. Wo can very well imagine interviews between the two monarchsol a kind that will never be reported.. And how much those little private talks must do to remove the prejudice and bitterness bora of some definite movo in high politics! The German Emperor just now wants a fair and candid friend more than anything else. Recent events have .no doubt had a profound effect on his impressionable nature. A month ago he was reported By Dr Leo. Leipzig©* t*o bo passing through ‘‘soul-storms” (Seclenstnrme) of the most violent character. He used to call his Chancellor “Bulow,” or even “Bernard.” Of late he has reverted to the formal phrase “Your Serene Highness.” Tb< other day he seems to have unbent somewhat by visiting Prince Bulow on the occasion of the latter’s birthday. What the Emperor will do to escape from the awkward corner in which lie finds himself we do not yet know. Perhaps it is a little unfair to accuse him of trying to court the military party merely on tho strength of his reading a service article to some officers. But this little episode, taken with the address to the Grenadier Guards at Berlin, seems to show that he will need a lot more persuading before tho cloak of constitutionalism becomes easy to wear, and it is here that the friendship and advice of King Edward may come at the right moment. In this event it may easily transpire that the present visit of King Edward may result, not only in. a bettor understanding as between the diplomatic corps of the two countries, but also in a special service to the Gorman people.