Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-31
Williams Opportunity
Kaiser Has It in His Power to Do Hu.-
manity Great Service by Stopping War,


New York Times.
In this time OF passion and OF peril the eyes OF
the world turn TO the German emperor the CHIEF
man OF Europe. the who than any other
has the power 10 provoke to avert great
Undoubtedly William VI. by encouraging Austria in
its madness and by giving its quarrel with serviR
the appearance Of a renace Russia, might bring
the cars great armed forces into the conflict a
pretext and provccation for a German march to the
front. Then France end England would be involved
and the civilization of Europe would give way to
savsgery. the greatest all human history would
be in progress. This is too dreadful for imagining
and because II Is too dreadful It cannot happen
II is equally beyond doubt that the kaiser by
exercising his great influence in Vienna and by
assurances and counsels OF moderation given in St
Petersburg prevent war altogether conflne It
within local and narrow limits That would be the
course OF highest wisdom for Germany and in avert
ing a general william II would render such
nestimsble service to humanity and would lift him
self far above all other living men in the worlds
respect and admiration that II may confidently be
expected that he will in this critical time prove him
self again TO he, what long he has been,
OF peace
The interest OF Germany the runcy of Ger
many cannot be a matter Of doubt, there is place
nor for speculation. German interests not
mperled by the incidents which Austria has made
cause of quarrel Germany has nothing to fear from
the ferment going in the Balkan states. or. far
the world Is Informed by present tendencies of
Russian policy in that quarter. Germany, the kaiser
has said. wants its place in the II is getting
It, II is TO enjoy IT, but by peace. not by
In forty years Of peace the empire has made
nous strides in commercial and industrial develop
ment The growth of its manufactures, of its internal
trade, OF its foreign commerce. amounting to
more than s4OOOWOOOo year the opening up OF its
resources and the increase Of its Industrial produc
ton. and than all this, above all this, that
marvellous advance In technical training and profi-
cheney which has aroused the wonder and the envy
Of all other great nations-these things determn-
ing for the interests and for the policy OF Germany,
these it's treasures this is its place in the
and knows It better than the emperor From
the effects of great Germany would not
cover in forty years, Europe would not recover in
forty years The nestImabie benefit OF decades
of which 1t has been the kaiser's pride and
pose to prolong would be destroyed. About the
tves Of kings there be certain reasoning, but
the compelling reasons which must now make EN-
william man of peace visible TO all the
world.
A general European war unthnkable With
100000 in the field the bill Of costs would be
tainly not less than S90OO0O00 day. and the waste
and destruction would enormously add to IT, Europe
cannot afford such the world cannot afford it,
and happily the conviction is growing that such
appalling conflict is altogether beyond the of
possibility. Austria is unreasonable servias reply
TO Its ultmatum humiliatng assent to hard
conditions, such assent but a weak power
would have given. Everything granted, save only
that little time for consideration asked upon
demand which never ought to have been made.
Austria Interpretation of the reply is such
ton careful of its reputation would have made.
since all the world that Il wsntonly perverts
the meaning OF the Servian note. Thirty years ago
Mr. Gladstone in impassioned electoral address
asked, Where can any man put his finger the
map and say there Austria. did goodTr That was
extreme utterance Mr.. Gladstone etterward ed-
mitted. but should suppose Austria would be
enxous to rid itself OF that reputation II in any
degree still attaches to it, Its unreasUnableness is
evident that the universal Interpretation OF its
course Is that IL has used Servta pretext the
accomplishment of purpose not avowed No
could be more unholy than one provoked by such
methods. But while the which has made the
whole world tremble with dread may not be averted
merely because It would be unjust and unhoy. there
solid ground for the expectation that 1t will be pre-
vented because the sobermnded statesmen of Europe
and above all the kaiser, not of blood but
OF peace.