cratic papers, which had been incautious, had to surrender the responsible editors to the courts, including the Netzig organ. Diederich seized this occasion to draw a sharp line between himself and those who had doubted Governor von Wulckow. He and Guste called on the Wulckows. "I know at first hand," he said afterwards, "that the man is assured of a brilliant future. He was hunting lately with His Majesty and brought off an excellent joke." A week later "Die Woche" published a full-page portrait, a bald head and beard in one half, a paunch in the other, and underneath the legend "Governor von Wulckow, the spiritual creator of the Emperor William Monument in Netzig, who was recently the object of an attack in the Reichstag which excited universal indignation, and whose appointment as Governor- General is expected. …" The picture of Dr. Hessling and his wife had only been given a quarter page. Diederich was satisfied that due proportions in rank had been restored. Authority remained as impregnable as ever, even under modern conditions of large-scale publicity. In spite of everything he was profoundly contented. In this way he was spiritually prepared most appropriately for his oration.
The latter was conceived during the ambitious visions of nights snatched from sleep, and as a result of a constant exchange of ideas with Wolfgang Buck, and especially Käthchen Zillich, who showed a remarkably clear perception of the importance of the approaching event. On the fateful day, when Diederich, his heart beating against the copy of his speech, drove up with his wife at half-past ten to the festive scene, the latter presented an as yet unanimated, but all the more orderly spectacle. Above all, the military cordon had already been drawn up, and when one got through, only after giving all the required credentials, there was here also an impressive barrier against the unprivileged mob, who had to crane their perspiring necks in the sun behind our soldiers and at the foot of a huge, black partition. The stands to the
