The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-12-20

/ himself with this country In tho hop
that he would reap his reward whel
the great war he was anticipating
eventually broke out.
Taken individually, these various In
cidents seem trivial enough. but
have every reason to know that tn
kaiser attached considerable fmp0r
lance to them. l know that there wa
good deal OF chagrin In the TRADES
he delivered to me against America To-
her part in supplying munitions to the
allies-chagrin at the thought that the
seed he had sown In America hat
failed to bring forth better fruit
When we finally entered the war and
he realized that all his carefully nur.
tured plans of years had availed him
naught, he could not restrain his bit
terness nor conceal his disappoint.
ment.
'All my efforts to show my friend
ship for America-exchanging profes-
sors with your colleges. sending my
brother in your country. all-all for
nothing!" he exclaimed, disgustedly,
after we had entered the war.
On another occasion he showed even
more clearly how far America had fall
len short Of his expectations:
"What has become Of those rich
| Americans who used to visit me with
their yachts at Kiel and come to my
entertainments In Berlin" he asked,
sarcastically. snow that we have
England involved, why aren't they
utilizing the opportunity to serve and
to make their own country great7 Do
they think put myself out to enter
tain them because I loved them7 I
am disguised with the whole Anglo
Saxon racer
The kaiser couldn't understand why
the United States did not seize both
Canada and Mexico. Apparently, from
the way he talked from time to time,
II he had been sitting in the White
House he would have grabbed the en-
tire Western Hemisphere.
That the kaiser followed American
politics very closely, especially after
the war broke out, was very natural.
The fact that there was a great Ger
man-American vote In this country
was not overlooked In Potsdam, and /
haven't the slightest doubt the kaiser
imagined that he could exert consider
able influence in our elections through
his emissaries In this country.
I returned to Berlin late In October |
Of that year. Within q day or two |
after my arrival I received telephone
message from the Reichskanzler Won |
Bethmann-Hollweg to the effect that |
the kaiser had sent him word of my !
return and that he would like me to |
call at his palace either that noon or
at four p. m.
was ushered into very large room
In the corner Of which was business
like looking flat-.opped desk, but which
was otherwise deliberately furnished.
The reichskanzler, tall, broad-shoul-
dered, handsome specimen Of a man,
came over to me and. putting his arm
In mine, walked me to seat beside
the desk. He asked me what I would
smoke, and upon my taking cigar
cite, he did likewise.
"The kaiser's been telling me, doc
.or," he said, "of your recent visit to
and I would like to ask you
/ few questions"
1 said that I was always glad to talk
f America. Indeed, I was particular
y glad of the opportunity to speak
nth the prime minister of Germany at
hat time.
Then followed q bewildering success
ion of questions, the purpose of
hitch was not at all clear to me. We
Ierman, half in English. The reichs-
anzler did not speak English partic-
larly well.
GLOW are things In America" he
sked. "Did you have any opportu-
ity to gauge the political situation7
Tho do you think will be the next
resident? Do you think that Ameri-
ans are opposed to peace because
lat would end their chance to make
Ioney out of the war? Are your
eople SO mercenary that they would
ke to see the war prolonged for the
ike Of the money they can make out ,
, it7"
1No, your excellency," I replied,
7ou are quite wrong If you imagipe ,
lat my countrymen would like to pro- :
ng the war for the sake Of war :
roflts. That is very far from being ,
10 case. On the contrary, the coun- !,
, at large Is anxious for peace"
Don't forget your people are max
g a lot of money out Of this war;" /
10 reichskanxler persisted. 'They I
. becoming very rich. They will :
'on have all the gold in the world. 4
utting an end to the war would to a =
eat extent end American opportuni- >
es for making money on this enor- q
Gus SCALE" q
'~That may be al true" I replied, t
nut fortunately my countrymen think '
ore Of the blessings Of peace and q
,erty than they do Of war and profits,
ID the sooner peace can be brought )
,out on Z basis which will have r
me assurance Of permanency the bet r
-,gYu 1gl~~ -