Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-10-18

President Wilson'S excellent reasons for
refusing to make peace with the Hohen-
Eollerns. By a strange coincidence, re-
markable evidence has been laid before
what kind OF man a Hohenzollern -. The
correspondence between the kaiser and the
car which occurred IN 1904 and 196. and
which has been published in the New York
Herald, reads like a footnote to Mr.. Will
sons objections to the kaiser as an ire
sponsible ruler. Before going further into
the correspondence We ought to say that
doubt has been expressed whether these
eecret letters are genuine; but we can our
selves see little reason for questioning
them. They are quite in keeping with
what we have long known of the katser's
character, and we are sorry to add that
they are not out Of keeping with what
We have more recently learned the
ear; though. to be sure, the latter's part
In the transactions shows up less discred-
Mably than the kaiser'R. The whole cor
respondence, we are told. has been dis
covered in the Russian imperial archives.
and is an entire surprise to the Russian
government.
The two facts which stand out from the
documents SO far as they nave been pub
tshed are, first, that the kaiser in 1904
And 1906 plotted to make a European ring
against Great Britain: and secondly, that
he sketched a plan for violating the neu-
Manly VI 1VcNLlATh On precisely lnH 6dliS
nnes as those on which Belgium was VIC
lated at the beginning Of the present war.
As regards the ring against Great Britain,
the kaiser's scheme was TO induce the
ear, over the heads of his ministers, to
make a secret treaty with Germany
Against what he called the Anglo-Saxon
group. To appreciate the full dishonor
of this maneuver one has to remember
not only that Russia was in a close alli-
ance with France, but that France had
already entered into an entente with Great
Britain. France was not to be consulted
In the matter at all. To keep the
vancouver secret from France was the
very pith Of the kaiser's proposal. He we'll
knew that IL the car laid the Invitation
Sefore the French government it would be
ELECTED with contumely, and, further, that
be himself would be exposed as a schemer
IT the lowest order. The kaiser's object,
hen, was to confront France with an &C
tomplished fact. Recognizing that she
would never consent with open eyes to so
6isloyal a transaction, he saw that tho
Snly thing for 1t was for Russia and Ger
many to threaten war upon Great Britain
and prove to France that she must fall
Ln with the scheme In order to save her
self from punishment. For, as the kaiser
remarked, even Nj. Delcasse would have
10 admit that the British fleet could not
save Paris" The plot as developed by
the kaiser is in the best Prussian tradi-
lion, being full of arts and devices for re-
t1eving himself of the blame and putting
1t on to somebody else. AS the Germans
have talked so much in their explanations
bf the origins of the wal about the ring
hat was being formed round the central
powers through the malice of Great
Britain, 1t cannot be insisted on too en-
phatically that the kaiser in 1904 and 1905,
under no provocation, tried to upset the
existing balance of Europe and to form
I ring against Great Britain.iSI
1t is amusing to notice. h6we this plot
admitted of the introduction of conlmer-
rial considerations as stray opportunities
occurred. The old firm was still ready to
accept orders and carried on business at
the old address. The kaiser foresaw that
Russia would need more ships to deliver
the foul stroke, and OF course the German
~Shipyards were very willing to build them
1t an appropriate price. In the midst of
( these negotiations came the affair of the
Dogger Bank, when Admiral Rozhdest-
vensky, on his way to the fatal battle OF
rsushima, fired on the British fishing
fleet. and it was a godsend to the kaiser.
His hints, and his appeals to the cars
fears. become more fast ard furious, and
the more anxious he was to bring his pot
to fruition the more alarmed he became
that some whisper would leak out of his
correspondence with the ear. One thinks
Of him at this point in the correspondence
10 OS "a mai II AZ oiodSil Iidl-
. mask and a long enveloping cloak. That
Is the suitable costume for one who seri-
ously believed that he could accomplish
this gross diplomatic chicanery Of "bounc-
Ing France-keeping a republic ignorant
OF the fact that she was being sold and
disposed of as the result Of the personal
caprices OF two autocratic rulers. The
Spanish kings of the 18th century or the
worst Bourbons could not have believed
more firmly. or with more convenient
theological invocations. that the peoples
Of the world were really sheep to be sac
rificed to satisfy the ambitions OF rulers.
The kaiser's scheme for violating the
integrity of Denmark in the event Of any
foreign power Great Britain, Of counsel
attacking the Baltic was, as we have said,
An eaxct anticipation Of Germany's sub
sequent Belgian policy. The kaiser sug-
gested to the car that Denmark might lie
brought to heel by conveying to her that
In the event Of war between Great Britain
md Germany. Great Britain would doubt
less occupy part OF Denmark. If 1t were
made clear to Denmark that Germany
acting under the usual deadly law OF
necessity. would have to anticipate Great
Britain, Denmark would very likely decide
that her more prudent course was to give
Germany and Russia permission to dc
what they intended to do in any case
The blame Of course would fall on Great
Britain. The parallel between this and the
ridiculous German inventions about tho
preliminary invasion of Belgium by French
motor cars is exact. OF minor Importance
but not less shocking to men of decent
habits Of thought, are the kaiscr's tips
to the czar for extricating himself from
importantly or responsibility in connec.
ton with the Russo-Japanese war. Wher
peace Is being discussed he tells the czal
that here IS a splendid opportunity fol
acquiring popular merit by seeming te
seek the confirmation of the people for the
deeds of his government. In reality what
he will be doing is to throw the odiun
Of a very unsatisfactory peace on to the
recently created duma. 1T would be ex.
cellent," writes the kaiser, "as the frs
task for these durna representatives. Il
you gave them the peace Treaty after 1t 1.
formulated to vote upon, thus leaving thu
odium Of the decision to the country
thereby giving the Russian people a voice
in the matter Of their " prosperity" NJ
mans reputation could survive the bur
den Of all this revelation of 'falsehoo<
and p~revarication.'' Still less can the rule,
OF . mighty people hops to stand long IL
= Flashes OF THE BIG GUNS. !