Iditarod pioneer., 1917-08-25
KAISER NOT RESPONSIBLE
 TO ANY EARTHLY POWER
(Francis Wayne in The Great Divide ]

(Francs Wayne in The Great Divide
 In the year 1888 William II. became em- peror of Germany and king of Prussia. With lordly disdain the youthful heir to the throne brushed aside all officers of church and state and with his own hands placed the crown of Charlemagne upon his head.
 This done, according to Morton Prince in "1he Psychology of the kalser' the mon arch proclaimed with noticeable emphasis that "he was firmly resolved to maintain intact and guard from all encroachment the chartered prerogatives of the crown.'
 Scanning the list of chartered preroga- tives." as furnished by Mir. Prince, it is evi- dent that nothing can be or Is done in the government of Germany without the em- peror's consent; that his power is lmltlcss and therefore his responsibility Is without bounds.
 What are the prerogatives of which the kaiser was so jealous when he ascended the throne and against which the Social Demo crats and people have murmured during the years of the war?
 Tt is the kalser's prerogatlve not to be responsible to the people or to parliament, put OnlN lo HlllHtlt IIe tlotS Hol utllNe his power from either, but he reigns in his own right He not only reigns, but it is his prerogative to govern.
 'It is the kaisers prerogative to appoint a chancellor to help him govern. He has no cabinet, nor board of advisers. The chancellor is responsible only to the em peror Parliament may be entirely opposed to him, but in such case he does not neces- sarily resign, es would the British prime minister nor Is it customary usage. The kaiser alone may dismiss him. The em peror may disregard him and his advice if he likes. so that in practice he may be his own chancellor
 "A third prerogative is to appoint the ministers, the heads of great departments navy, foreign affairs, colonies, etc Thus all executive power resides in the kaiser
 "A fourth prerogative is to be commander and chief of the army and to have absolute authority over the forces of the army both in peace and in war It is his prerogative to determine the numerical strength and or ganization, and the divisional contingents of the imperial army; also to appoint superior officers
 "A fifth and exceedingly powerful pre- rogatlve Is to appoint and control seven teen members of the upper house-the bun desrah or federal council-the most power ful upper house in the world. The kaiser thus has the votes-only fourteen being recuired-to defeat any amendment to the constitution This council, creature of the emperor gives the consent to declare war
 "A sixth prerogative Is to initiate al legislation, although indirectly, through his controlled federal council, of which his crea- ture the chancellor, is the president
 "All measures must originate in the up per house, which can also veto them when they are amended by the reichstag, and can dissolve the latter"
 Finally, writes Mr Prince, "the kaiser claims that his prerogative to govern is derived from God, granted by the Almighty to his house of Hohenzollern In this Twen- tieth century it Is difficult for thinking peo- pie to imagine anyone regarding such a claim for the prerogative of divine right seriously; but, writes MT. Prince: "It is deep all-abding belief and principle of action with the kaiser. Another sovereign derives his right to reign if not to govern, from the constitution of his country, which means in the last analysis by contract with his people. But the German emperor re- fuses to acknowledge any responsibility to the people, or any dependence upon the people or the constitution or contract for his right to govern. He derives this right directly from God. Whatever rights or powers the people possess descend from the