South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-11
BY James CreeIman.

BERLIN, Feb. 10.-The most ire
mendOus and far~reaching utterance
made since the beginning of the pres
ont world war was the statement of
the German imperial chancellor, Won
ollweg, to me today that
In what seems to him the absolutely
certain and complete victory of Ger
man arms Germany is not waging an
aggressive but a defensive war.
The chancellor had just come in
from the side of the Emperor William
at the grand German headquarters in
France, and was filled with the spirit
OF growing triumph which seems to
thrill Germany from frontier to from
tier. north. south, east and west.
He is a giant Of a man, broad
shOuldered, deep chested, with an
enormous girth. He was dressed in
the full field uniform of a German
general and although gold lace
sparkled on his shoulders and his
cuffs, the striking note of his attire
was the black and white ribbon Of
the iron Cross that appeared along
the buttoned edge of his gray field
coat
The chancellor's features are big.
irregular and tremendously mascu-
line. Tis nose is long and fieshy; his
forehead high and rather noble; his
cheeks fiat, the big humorous mouth
shaded by a gray mustache. and ire
mendous crunching jaws and powerful
projecting chin mantled by a rough,
thick, short white beard
We sat in the more or less bare
room of the chancellOr's palace in
Berlin where the great Bismark work.
ed out the mightiest problems of Eu-
rope, ~ still, sober place, with bunch
OF white flowers sitting alone on a
great table desk, and deers' antlers
projecting from severe walls.
Yet even in that quiet place came
iment marching swiftly past the
palace TO take its place in the lighting
line.
Chancellor an Enthusiastic Giant.
The chancellor Seemd such a
physical giant, and he carried with
him such a swing and air OF physical
| power and enthusiasm, as he seated
! himself before the mighty table, that
he appeared to be filed with the in
describable enthusiasm and confidence
OF the great battle lines from which
he had just come.
The remarkable thing about Won
Berthmann- HOllweg is his utter lack
of attempts at subtlety. He has a
certain fineness and nobility Of man
ner. and yet he speaks with an almost
rough directness, smashing. brutal
frankness that is startling in one who
speaks for a great empire in the midst
OF a world war. II is this peculiar
TeutOnic scOrn for mere finesse, to-
gether with his tremendous courage.
that has endeared the chancellor to
the German empire. and 20 the nation
generally. in this most supreme hour
in the history Of the race.
And he is the humanest man that
ever filled such a place in such an
hOur-the pure enthusiasm and frink-
ness Of a boy shining through the
rough, hard features OF the gray vet
eran.
THE most extraordinary thing about
this appalling world conflict" he said.
is the impression. which the enemies
OF Germany have systematically
spread. that the German emperor is
o mere war lord, and that he desired
and sought this war.
Kaiser Always on the Side OF Peace.
Nothing could be falser. I have
worked BY his side for years: I have
worked with him day and night. in
winter and I'm summer. I know him
20 be the greatest friend Of peace in
the whole world. 10 is extraordinary
that the enemies OF Germany could
have been able TO create in the minds
Of so many people such an infamous
caricature OF the noblest leader OF
peaceful human progress that the
be known as a peace lord. not as a
war lord. for his mind has always
been fixed on pence. always, always.
no matter how great the temptations
TO war that have been offered 10 him
by those in whom his country's amaz-
ing peaceful success aroused only feel
ings OF jealousy AMI hatred"
The big chancellor folded his arms
across his mighty chest. and a curious
look came into mis- great gray eyes
Think OF the outrageous things
that have been said OF this greatest
OF all peace lovers. this leader OF lead
ers. whose supreme EFFORT ever since
he assembled the German throne
has been 10 prevent war
Remember that only nine DAYS be-
fore the outbreak OF this war the Ger
man emperor and his entire fleet were
making an annual cruise in "A distant
part Of the North sea. IL would have
been possible at that time FOR the Brit