The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-03-17
War Mad KINGS,

and then you viii know more than
you do now.
War Mad Kings
The United States is about to be
drawn into war. which ostensibly be
gan as quarrel between royal blood
ed relatives in Europe, but now has
reached the point where Kings are
pitted against democracy.
From that pest-hole in the Balk-
ans has come all the spawn of mon
archial hatred, intrigue and infamy
not only to poison the government,
but almost uproOt progress itself
First German prated of the Russian
peril and she was hemmed in by pow
erful enemies, her trade territory
reduced and the power of the entente
gradually grinding her down to
weakling. Self-preservation was the
cry reiterated Germany-wide, but the
clamor did not conceal the mailed fist.
With the declaration of war on that
August day in 1914, Germany be
came the champion of the so-called
divine rights of kings to make war
| when and where they will and to
trample rights of neutrals insolent-
| ~. The HohenZollern assumed the
everlordship of the world.
The qualifications of the Prussian
scheme was not revealed until the eX-
posture last week in Washington. Eff
| fusive friendliness of Berlin was the
| mask to a diabolical plot to turn two
nations against the United States,
| but fortunately it was snatched of.
| The United States had heard of the
| plot. Officials, of course, were in
close touch at all times with the situa-
ton, but nothing definite was proved
In spite of the Lusitania disaster
| ioh no of al
| though they few the flag of Hohen-
zollern, Americans believed that Ger
many was friendly. Some attempted
to palliate the crime of baby muir
der by believe that the commander
had made a mistake.
Events showed that no mistake was
made. The Lusitania incident was
deliberate murder, Matched by Ger
man commanders and done with the
official nod of the imperial court. That
evidence was enough to constitute
an over act. Explosions in NUM-
ton plants followed this so rapidly
that investigation showed that Ger
man agents were at work. A German
consul was convicted in San Francis
| co of violating the United States neu-
neutrality laws. Another is under in
dictment for threatening to blow Up
the Welland canal. Other German of
ficials whose conduct was not pleas
ing to the United States were ordered
removed. The neutrality of the
| United States was not only fiouteG
on the sea, but as reck1essly in the
United States.
The kaiser system was in close
touch with Washington. While pro
testing friendship for this nation and
voicing his regret at the parting
caused by the United States handing
him his passports, Count VonBern-
storff, emissary of the German kaiser
was deep into the plot. He was en-
gineering the details of the Japan
Mexico alliance to strike at the United
States in the very shadow of the cap
ital.
Treatment accorded men of the
Yarrowdale and the American consul
lar agents, shows what Germany
would have done if Ambassador Ger,
rard has connived with Greece and
Holland to strike at Germany. Il
would have gone i'll with the Amer
lean ambassador and Germany would
have declared war overnight. Amer
leans are glad to know that there am
bassadors would not be guilty of sucI
infamy.
The evidence has been piling W
for months that Germany is in the
war for world denomination. Many
believed it impossible that she would
strike at the United States as open
~ as she did. She chose for tools
Japan, which has a deep-seated, al
though not ostensible hatred for thi:
nation, Mexico which has not for
!. gotten 1884, and whose people may
be induced to follow any leadership
If these two nations would attacl
the United States, Germany would
have nothing to fear from America
and the allies would be crippled. Ger
many would gain foothold in Amer
lea another step in her world coloni
zation scheme.
At present it appears her proffer
have been rejected by Japan anC
Mexico. They refuse to join in tn
plot because of the risk, but shoulC
, the allies, lose their control, no on'
dream of world power drove Alexan
der into misfortune. Caesars su
, premacy was shattered. Attila lef
| a blazing trail in his march to fail
, ure-
World power by the sword wa
, not meant to be. If this is the creec
of absolutism, the crown will go in
> to the junk pile and the scepter int
> the rubbish pile. The democratic
/, of the very nations battling nov
against the absolutism of Germany
will assert themselves and throw
2 | against the Prussian menace fore
D so compelling that the iron hand vii
2 lose its grip.-Salina Journal.
e Fourth Class Postmaster Examination
= Saturday, April ID, 1917.
S The United States Civil Servic