The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-01-29
Hoch der
Kaiser
From tuesdays Daily.


ed gentleman, brilliant conoisseur of
the arts, and belles-lettes, expert in
many OF the sciences, deep student OF
man and his vagaries, magnetic leader
OF men i'm peace and war, shrewd bust
ness manager. great executive, great
strategist, one OF the greatest all
around geniuses of his time, the
most loved and revered of living
rulers by his own people. the great
est democrat who ever sat upon n
throne! That is my estimate OF VIII
helm ii, emperor of Germany!
In him are united the unusual
trinity of q kind heart, n brilliant
mind and an iron will. In his person
he embodies not only the symbolism
OF the German nation, rs its supreme
head. but the highest ideals of the
German character. ] am aware that
he has faults. We have heard only
too much OF them. grossly exagger-
ated and distorted out of all semb-
lance of truth by his enemies. II
would be sufficient answer to say
that no sovereign, or commander.
ever was more universally loved and
revered by his subjects and his
soldiers. To no man OF our time
could our own Washingtonian phrase
be more applicable: First in war,
first in peace, first in the hearts
OF his country mem" Innumerable
have been the instances OF the re-
ciprocal love OF ruler and people, as
well rs the innate democracy Of the
man. OF the latter, we have been
afforded many glimpses; in his fish
dinners with his democratic NOrwe-
gian friends, and his hand clasps
OF the Norwegian pilots on his
annual summer iournies TO the
northern fjords: in his being photo
graphed with the orphans of the Jena
asylum, children OF the common
people, one of them with her arm
laughingly entwined in his: I'm greet.
ing his wounded soldiers. as "com-
rades.' and with hand clasps. or
roses: or I'm his hospitality TO, or
association with Americans. per.
sonally know of many American
heads OF institutions and business
concerns, in this supposedly republi-
can land, who would not condescend
to lower their dignity In any of the
ways above mentioned The broad
ness of the German mind. and the
depth and fervor of the German
soul, as embodied I'm the person or
this remarkable man are shown I'm
the "weltschmerz" which led him. in
his efforts to localize the war. IL
not to avert it. to remind the car
OF the endless misery" TO the whole
world that would result. Those Two
words, endless misery actually
used by him in this connection,
lay bare his soul. Those two little
words, alone. are refutation of the
charge that he wanted war. or that
he does not feel for the common
people OF all countries. Would the
first thoughts of the mythical war
lord, filled with the lust OF battle,
and eager for the blood-letting OF
his fellow creatures. he of the lend.
less misery" that inevitably follows
In the wake of war?
Another barring of the kaiser's soul
was in his recent chivalrous greet.
ing to the wounded French officers
at Metz: Gentlemen! l accord TO
you my Imperial homage for your
tsn hi 10 sAl 81
but let us hope that when IL Is
over our countries will be united I'm
bonds of friendship and alliance,"
Did knight of old ever utter a greet.
ing more chivalrous, or more mag.
unanimous and pregnant with future
peace and concord?
Perhaps the greatest compliment
ever paid the kaiser, as well as the
strongest vindication of his stand on
the war, was the eagerness and spon.
taneity of his erst.while political ene-
mics, the socialists. in coming to
This aid at the supreme moment of
their country's peril. Of.
In this connection, can there be a
greater refutation of the baseless
SANDER that the German people were
driven, or led, into the war by their
sovereign. than the following stirring
lines from the official organ of the
German Socialist Trade union. the
greatest workingmen's association:
I'VE know that we have 10 hold
out, and We shall do So. Our con.
fidence Is based not only on the
strength, organization and execution
of discipline in. the army, but also
on the love of country that unites
all Germans. without exception. II
the war keeps on for months or for
years. il merely win forge the nation
into more united solidarity, and in
crease her forces UNNECESSARILY. The
Germans viii emerge from the world
war the strongest OF the belliger.
ents.''
The remarkable success or the
kaiser In all of his undertakings. in
both peace and war. may be attri
buted in good part TO his genius as
an executive and organizer. lie IL
an adept in the difficult art ol
selecting the right men for the right
places. And in the selection of his
tlieutenants he has shown his dem.
ocratic instinct Dernburg. the re.
lgenerator of Germany's colonial