Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-02-03
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The most important factor in con-
sidering the German strength is the
personality of William II. He is COM
monty believed to be an impulsive
young man of so; a reckless rhet-
,orician, a jack-of-all-trades, a journal
list with an actors personality who is
never happy unless in the limelight.
No solid foundation exists for this
view of the character of the COM
mander-in-chief of the German army,
and the lord high admiral of the Ger
man fleet. The atmosphere surround
ing the magnetic personality of the
Emperor William II. is mystical and
religious The German war lord be-
1ieves in the Divine right of kings,
and in absolutism as sincerely as did
Charlemagne or Charles V. Being in
his own view sacrosanct as the agent
of the Most High, he is as convinced
as Mahomet as to the reality of his
high mission. The commander-in-chief
of the German army is probably the
best informed white man in existence.
He and his brother, Prince Henry of
Prussia, speak English with only the
faintest accent or no accent at all
The German emperor, like Napoleon,
is the greatest factor in his army. He
is its soul; he created his navy him
self, his army he inherited and i'm
proved until it is the largest and best
organized fighting in the
world. To form an intelligent antici-
patton of how that army will be led
In time OF war we must judge the en-
peror's personality; not by his fire.
equent speeches, but by his unequaled
knowledge, fiery energy, pure life, and
substantial judgment. On all the ques-
lions of European policy the COM
mander-in-chief of the German army
is better informed than any other liv-
ing person. He speaks the languages
of the great European states Unlike
the late and present car of Russia
his majesty never suffers himself to
be submerged in the sea of detail or
to be hedged in by Zareba of forms
Twelve experienced men in his cab
met, for example devote their lives
to the study of English military re
sources all the world over. The wis
dom that comes from intelligent study
of history is the emperor's. He knows
that Napoleon threw away his chances
of the dominion of the world by en-
gaging in war with England, when he
had two or three other wars on his
own hands. The emperor avoids that
mistake.
His majesty's recreation is the read.
Ing Of history. II is no slight tribute
to the emperor's genius that as early
as 1890 he had extracted from the
Z teachings of history the irresistible
conclusion that the future of Germany
was on the water.
The kaiser's position as commander
in-chief of the German army to-day is
that of Napoleon at his zenith The
British fleet alone stands between him
and the dominion of the world He is
master of Europe On her western
frontier Russia is undefended For
a century and a half the Russian west
,ern frontier has been sedulously
guarded. The troops and guns with
drawn through the eXigencies of the
war with Japan have not been re
placed, and both Moscow and Peters
burg at the time of writing are vul-
nerable to German attack. On Ger
many's western frontier, facing France
and Belgium, mobilization is an in
Simultaneous process. Everything is
ready. The troops are on a war foot
ing.
To one who doubts the great genius
Of the German emperor the existence
of the German navy is evidence to re-
flute him. The emperor inherited no
navy to speak Of The obstacles in
the way Of its creation were stupen-
dous. "a lesser mind than the emper-
Or's might have bought or built quite
as many ships of war as Germany now
possesses. The emperor did more. In
vivid contrast to his friend, the car,
ne breathed into the German fleet his
own indomitable spirit.
In considering the relative strength
Of national defenses, it is important
to remember that ships, guns, and
munitions are not the most important
factors in organized national forces. A