New Britain herald., 1915-03-17
KAISER DESIRED
PEACEFUL REIGN
Congressman Barth)Idt Relates Inter.
view With CeTmany's Ruer.

~ A'ANA SiA 1f-~SOuSICSS10d1l
richard Barthholdt, who was the
guest of the Get-Together club this
week told here, for the first time ex-
cept to the president of the United
States, the story OF his meeting with
the German emperor when, four years
ago, he was sent by President Taft
as special ambassador to present the
oteuben statue to the German nation.
After his address at the Get-Together
club, Mr.. Barthholdt was the guest of
number OF prominent German
Americans in a small dining room in
Bonds restaurant. The talk natur-
ally turned upon the war and, after
considerable discussion, Congressman
Barthholdt said that the Kaiser had
told him, at the time when the Mo-
roccan situation was very intense that
he hoped to take to his grave the
title of the Peace Kaiser" bestowed
in scorn by the military element of
Germany.
II had hoped to keep this for my
memoirs" said he. but I don't know
whether 1 ever will have time to
write them. l tell it now for the first
time since my report to President
Taft whose ambassador 1 was"
In Congress Twenty Years.
Congressman Barthholdt has been
in congress from st. Louis for twenty
years. His special work has been
world peace propaganda, and he sew
eral times has been sent to the Hague
as a commissioner for this coun-
try. He was president of the Inter-
parliamentary union in 1904. and
since that year has been elected presl-
dent Of the Arbitration Group OF Con-
gress, which he founded in 1904. he
was born in Germany in 1855, came
to America as boy, received classl-
cal education, and has worked In the
newspaper business all his life. When
first elected to Congress he was editor
in chief of the EST. Louis Tribune.
When elected to the congress just
ended, his majority over his demo-
cratic opponent was 25,244.
Telling of the ceremonies. at Fots-
dam where stands the monument TO
Raron Steuben, the German officer
who assisted in the War For In
denendence. Congressman Barthodt
said: ...
Kaiser at Head of Table.
lat the big state banquet thae
night. the kaiser sat at the head Oh
the table and 1 was seated on ms
right To the right of me sat the
imperial chancellor, Won bethliiarii-
Hollweg. Around us were amoassa-
doris, generals and other notables.
The kaiser gave the signal for
seating and turning to me demanded
in excellent English, We'll, what's
the latest American yarn?'
Believes in Arbitration.
after some desultory discussion
about this and that, Wilhelm said
You are very much Interested In
arbitration, and l believe that you are
in the right. l believe that disputes
should be arbitrated, but l more firm
ly believe that kings. myself included,
should of their own strength, keep
the peace. I have done So During
my reign Germany has engaged in no
wars, but every other great nation
of the world has done SO, including
the United States. While I have ruled,
we have been contented with our
place in the sun. yet every other ma
ton has enlarged it's territory, in
Guiding the United States.
""rhey sheer at me and call me
the peace kaiser l am proud Of
that title, Mr.. Bartholdt and hope
to keep it until I die
Feeling Against England.
This, you remember, was at the
time when the Moroccan situation was
intensely acute, when Germans be-
lieved that war was justified and
when there was bitter feeling, not
against poor France but against Eng
land who was egging her on
Mr. Bartholdt told many of the
other things which the German ruler
said. In discussing Berlin, the kaiser
said, They're getting on there in
fine shape. But I don't like the villas
that they are building on some of the
new Streets" and naming one of them
continued, Every villa on it is an
architectural atrocity and they did
not come to me once to ask what de-
signs should be followed"
Emperor William has rather
prejudice against Berlin, because it
is controlled by the democrats,
and this feeling he freely admitted to
Congressman Barth oldt.
. While on this journey, the con-.
gresham met besides the most nota-
BILE men of Germany, France and
England King George V. of Eng
land and President Poincare OF
France.