Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-10-01
TIE TRUTH ABOUT
KAISER WILHELM Il

stEEHU1eB rs EEts ID
AS in every other neutral country
there are two parties also in America
which are very much interested in the
European war. But there are still
more people yet who do not know to
what country thay shall give their sym
pathy because they read too many diff
ferent stories about this great struggle.
In reading one paper today they find
out how Germany got dragged into the
fight for its existance and then the
man who reads this will
sympathize with the defenders
of their homes, but the next day the
newspapers bring the news that it is
matter of fact that Germany emperor
is the one who started the struggle,
that nobody else but the ambitious
''warlord" is to be blamed for all that
misery in the old country. When the
people read this they change their opin-
ion of Yesterday and everyone says;
''The Kaiser is to be blamed, the Kaiser
aloneY'
Now / will not explain that the laws
in the old country do not give the pow
er, even to an emperor or king, to send
his nation to war without asking his
ministers or without knowing that the
parliament will furnish the money,
etc. No, only will write the truth
about Kaiser Wilhelm II Of Germany as
he is known and loved by his subjects.
When, by the sudden death of his
father, Frederick III, Wilhelm II was
called to his duty on the 18th of June,
1888. He was not very well known IN
Germany and what little the Germans
did know of him was not satisfactory at
all, for the young ruler-29 years old
was found to be an ambitious and en-
thusiastic soldier. The future of the
new empire seemed to be a dark one
and full of war with all its terror and
barbarism. But war at that time
meant a standstill but not defeat for the
German empire. Germany wanted,
needed peace, long peace, to finish
tn Job which its heroic army started
In 87O-71 (France-P russian war;. But
all this would have been for nothing if
there was another, even victorious war
in Germany. The future and strength
Of the empire could be guarded only
by a peaceful government. So, of course,
every German was happy to hear those
words of the new emperor that he never
would declare war on any nation unless
he was forced to do so to defend the
honor of the fatherlan3. Every
body believed him except the pessl-
mists, however, and there are many
of them in Germany! The pessimist
doesn't believe anything until he has
seen it. Well, the German pessimist
did not need to wait very long for a
chance, to see how peaceful his Kaiser
was!
Twenty-six years are passed since
Wilhelm took charge of the German
throne. Germany has seen many
stormy days. Again and again, it
was ready to fight against it's enemies.
The nation wanted to fight, but the
emperor did not want it. $50 they like
to make war with US, let them come!
We are ready at any time, but we shall
not start for our army shall not be a
war machine to conquer land and ma
tons and our navy shall be nothingelse
than to protect the flag of the German
merchants in foreign countries. To
defend ourselves, that is what we have
arranged for" More than once has the
Kaiser had a chance to send his army
against France, often against Russia,
long time before the triple entente
ever existed, too. So it is matter OF
fact that the emperor refused to send
his troops against the enemies at time
when he had good chances for he knew
the cause would have been just, and
the people were anxious to go to war.
Besides that he did not need to fight
against very superior forces.
Anu now GuIOpS 10 dC wal Ills ~
about all that weknow. All the big
nations are fighting. What is the rea-
son? Why do they fight? Well, it is
not yet time for history to judge. Only
the people are guessing, talking and
passing their own opinions, but do you
really think that the Kaiser, after
showing for 26 years how peaceful he
was, after being sure, wise and just
ruler to his country, would send his
army-that means every able bodied
Ger nan man, the flower of the country,
the nation-ag against England, France,
Russia, Japan, Servia, and Belgian Il
once, just because he had the notioni
Or do you believe, that the Kaiser,
after seeing how big and strong Ger
many grew under his peaceful reign
got so ambitious that he had to mobi
lie his army and send it against his