The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-09-29
THE KAISER'S REPLY

We have heard from the kaiser at last in reply to the Pope's
peace proposal. But what have we heard? Words. What do
they mean? Nothing, in the light of facts that all the world
knows. 1t is the same "shifty," evasive perfidious and dishon-
est use of words that has characterized German diplomacy from
before the war, a shifty, crooked, devious record that has driv-
en- fourfifths of the world to break all relations with the Ger
man government and treat the empire as an outcast unworthy
of a place in the family of nations.
The kaiser does not sign his message and his al-highness"
is referred to in the third person. The flunkey who sponsors
it alludes to the kaiser as my most gracious master" who "has
deigned to acquaint" him with the pope's appeal. And then he
proceeds to paint as an angel of peace the war lord who took
the nurseries, the kindergartens, the schools and the universe
doctrines of might against right; who took the manhood of the
empire and trained it to the industry of war; who diverted the
achievements and discoveries of science toward the destruc-
ton of human life; who tore to shreds a solemn treaty, and
sent his vandal horde of Huns to the rape and devastation of
Belgium, the murder and enslavement of her manhood and the
worse than murder of her women; who tore up the laws of
nations to drown women and children at sea, while numbering
other women and children from the sky; who planted through
out the world his spies and agents to plot the downfall of those
nations who received them as guests and friends; who plotted
from their own capitals, while wearing the cloak of friendship,
the destruction, with the lives on board, without leaving a
trace" the vessels of those nations for whom they pretended
friendship; who, pretending to be a Christian, joined forces
with the Moslem Turk to exterminate a race of Christians, all
to satisfy ambition and crafty a lust for power = this is the
world assassin, the murderous Moloch, who now, seeing his
doom, would pose as an apostle of peace.
The message was, of course, intended to further delude the
German people, for with all his egotism the kaiser knows he is
fOoling nobody else, and not the pope.
This is the discredited autocrat, claiming to rule by divine
right, claiming partnership with God, whose word is not good
anywhere on earth except with those who have to take it as the
vassals of Rome took the word of Nero-this is the information
al outcast, facing his doom, who would now ask us and other
nations to join him in a peace parley to make new treaties in
lieu of those he violated and destroyed; and with his hordes
still in Belgium and northern France, with his slaves and booty
still in his power and with his murders still unavenged.
No, not till the people of Germany go on his note" If
If they want that kind of a ruler they are welcome to him, but
they must vouch for him and stand before the world as spons-
ors for his acts. And while there is even a lingering doubt
about the conversion of the German people to the doctrine of
right against might, to the doctrine that treaties are made to be
kept, and that a nation of conquest is a nation of bandits
while there is doubt on these points there can be no peace
parley.