The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-10-07
KAISER WEAPS,
DECLARES WAR
When Placing Signature to Dcclara-
ton Of War the German Emper-
or 10 Found in Tears.
~ CAN NOT DO oTHERwIsE.'
Did Not Believe Reports Of Agrees
i've Movement Of the Russians
Until Staff Gave Proof,

New York, Oct. 3-An intimate pic.
ture of Kaiser Wilhelm during the
stirring period when war was impend.
ing, climaxed with vivid description
OF the kaiser in tears as he put his sig
nature to the instrument which con-
verted all Europe into battlefield,
was brought here by passengers on
the Holland-American liner Potsdam
in from Rotterdam.
The most detailed account of the
circumstances was given by Liston
Lewis, OF New York. Mr. Lewis said
that his version had come from high
German official close to the kaiser.
I've reached Berlin on July 29th,"
explained Mr.. Lewis. There were
stirring scenes there then. The en-
thusiasm of the people was tremcn-
dous. They were a united people. firm
in tho conviction that England
France and Russia were determined
to make an aggressive war on Ger
many. ~
81 was informed by an officer in
innate with the kaiser that the en-
peror could not believe such a thing
as general European war was pos
sible. He had been told by the Ger
man ambassador in st. Petersburg
that the Russian government assured
the ambassador that the Russian
army was not mobiizing in the west
and had no intention of mcbilizing
there. The emperor did not believe
the reports OF the aggressive move
ments of the Russians until the men,
bers of the general staff put proof of
them before him. Then the members
Of the general staff insisted that they
would not be responsible for what
might follow unless the kaiser de-
clared war. '
Leave me for an hour the EN-
peror requested.
when the hour had expired the
emperor was found in tears. 4 cant
do otherwise he remarked. as he
signed the declaration of war;"
Scouts Atroelty Stories.
Concerning the reported German
atrocities, Mr.. Lewis said that he had
been informed that when the. Ger
mans entered Liege the people Of
fered no hostile demonstrations for
twenty-four hours. Then suddenly
general fusillade of shots was direct
ed at the German soldiers. Evident
~, Mr.. Lewis. said, the civilians of
Liege had been supplied with guns
and ammunition for concerted at
tack at a given signal. Severe meas
ures were necessary under the cir
cumstances. but they were not as
severe as reported, and constituted
the only atrocities" perpetrated by
the Germans on Bclgians.
On September I'd. Mr.. Lewis, relat-
ed thousands of captured French sol
diers and cannons were marched
through. Inter den Linden.
DIR. Morris Jastrow. Jr., a profcs
scr in the University of Pennsylvania.
was another passenger Oh the Pots
dam who furnished an interesting
story about the attitude of the kaiser
and the German people regarding the
war.
Americans were treated with the
utmost respect and courtesy in
Munich" began DR.. Jastrow. who
spent the summer in that city.
when we left Munich the burgo
master came to the train to bid us
goodbye. His wife and daughters. as
well as other women residents.
brought flowers for the American
women.
81 deeply regret that Americans
seem to be totally ignorant OF Ger
many's share in the responsibility for
the war. have carefully followed
the political growth of Germany. and
am satisfied that the Germans are
not belligerent people, and that
neither the emperor nor the govern
ment brought on this war.
Took Germans BY Surprise.
"The war took the Germans COM
pletely by surprise. and when the
mobilization of the troops was or