Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-10-20
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.


Kaiser Wilhelm reminds one of the
old-fashioned peddler of notions who
would keep adding packages of
needles, watches, and even silver coins,
to his little bundles of bargains until
a sale was effected. With northern
France and no indemnities already in
his bargain Offering, the emperor has
added Belgium-with eOnditions-and
now II Is reported he and Emperor
Charles of Austria Hungary are pre-
pared to throw In Alsaee, the price
being peace and the return of Ger
many's colonies. In word, the Ger
man peace for which the kaiser shows
10 consuming desire Is becoming less
German every day, and II the allies
just say nothing and saw wood-as
they probably WILT may finally take
on an appearance that will warrant
their consideration.
To be sure, Chancellor Michaelis
says that peace is impossible so long
a. Germany's enemies demand any
German soil or try to drive a wedge
between the German emperor and his
people, but the chancellor is hard
pressed to save his political fortunes.
He and Vice Chancellor Helfferich are
being bitterly attacked because of the
policy Of fostering pan Germanism in |
the country and the army and at the |
same time making promises Of mild |
ness In return for peace. Michaelis \
was compelled to tell the relchstag |
hnf hn nAf ufn hn
demands of the pan-Germanists, and
for the time being his opponents were
satisfied; but his failure as chancellor
IL pronounced
Foreign Secretary Won Kuehlmann Is
uOre yielding than the chancellor, for
he told the reichstag that there now
exists mo impeachment TO peace, no
questions that could not be settled by
negotiations, except for the French
demand for Alsaee-LOrraine." He
added that Germany could make no
concessions with regard to those prov
inces.
Premier Lloyd George was quick to
take up this challenge of Won Kuehl-
manns. II do not think that any
statement is more calculated 10 pro-
long the war;" he said. However
long the war may last, England in
tends TO stand by France until she has
redeemed her oppressed children from
their foreign yoke"
Reasons Many and Plain.
The reasons for the kaisers In
creasing moderation in demands are
not far TO seek. They are found in
the daily dispatches recording the re-
peated successful thrusts Of the allies
N Flanders; the advances of the Brit
sh in Mesopotamia and Africa the
shortage of German shells; the grove (
ny unrest In the armed forces of Ger
many, reaching the stage of mutiny :
n the fleet; the scarcity of food. IN -
he central nations, and, perhaps most. .
,Otent Of all, the steady, irresistible y
'rogress of the United States toward a
ull preparation for war TO a victOri- =
us conclusion.
Then, too, the kaiser sees added 10 y
he list Of his enemies more Of the
nst dwindling number of those not !
itherto ON that roll of honor. Though ie
resident Irigoyen managed to stave :,
n warlike action by Argentina, Peru y
nd Uruguay last week broke on dip :, 81
'matic relations with Germany and ~
mt away its ministers. ~
The European nations that remain iS
autral are suffering more and more. u
Olland pleads with America for feed "a
'pecially, with the open threat that II y
Is not sent, she Will have 10 slaugh- a.
r at least half her cattle and. hav- ~
< no msans Of preserving the meat. W