Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-02-20
WIN. il, 1.-THE KAISER
MOST REMARKABLE man
Ida Grove Man Deals DispassiOnately
With This Figure Who Sways
Hearts and Heads German
People.
SOME AUTHENTIC UTTERANCES
MADE BY KAISER
He Believes i'm Divine Right of Kings
and That His Word is Law.

| by ". .. MdCOl1utT, lud OTOFe, Id. '
We are at war with the kaiser
and it is well that we study the char
acter of the remarkable man, who
has drawn down on himself and peo-
pie, the hostility of a world in arms.
Now in this letter | will deal dispas-
| sionately with this commanding fig
ure, who sways the hearts and heads
| of the German people. j acquire all
my information, and | will make nc
statement, but what | gather from
the expressions and thoughts of a
German writer made years prior to
the beginning of this war, so there
will be no basis, no prejudice, simply
a statement Of the facts. Wolf Won
Schierbrand wrote Germany, the
Welding of World Power" in 1902,
so nothing of a recent date will ap-
per in this letter.
1t was the kaiser, who first used
the term world power as applied to
Germany, and it was on the occasion
of the launching of gigantic ocean
greyhound On another occasion
when speaking of Germanys policy,
the kaiser said, Nothing must be
done anywhere on the globe without
the sanction of Germany's ruler" So
| it is plain that the German world
power" idea is simply the kaiser's
world policy. 1t has not always had
happy results for him, for instance on
account of Germany's acts in the
Chino-Japanese war, it drove Japan
into an alliance with England.
The work and influence of this
remarkable man, has in many direc-
tions been of great service to his
country and people. l deem the most
important, perhaps is the commercial
splendor they achieved under his di-
rection. German statistics for 1900,
show that Germany imported goods
to the value OF 6,043, 100000 marks
and exported goods for that year to
the value of 4,752,6O0,0OO marks.
And let it be seen, and studied caro-
fully by us, that the two countries
that furnished the bulk of her inn
ports and took the great bulk of her
exports, were England and the Unit
led States.
German statistics for 1900 show
this and have no doubt, but what ov-
cry year since then down to 1914, the
per cent increased, thus showing
that the two best customers that Ger
many had were England aid the
United States, both of whom, as ev-
leryone knows, have been brought in
to war with the kaiser. This man, the
kaiser, stands out like a beacon light
in the world and no features" not
even those of our own Teddy" are
more widely known than the firmly
set jaw and upturned mustache of
the kaiser
When Bismarck had been dismiss
ed and the world stood astOnished,
the kaiser wrote to his uncle, the
grand duke of Sake eimer, and used
these words, "As to the rest, the same
course will be steered and God with
u.s." Here are some more of his say
ings: Il am an up to date man. "
"This is an era of rapid transit. !"
When a boy he adopted the motto,
IF rest l rust" He is an autocrat
by belief, by training aid by tempera-
arch" He believes profoundly in the
divine right of kings aid in the provi-
dental character Of his own mission.
He believes that monarch can do
no wrong, and that he rules by divine
inheritance and right, and that he is
fashioned of better clay than his
subjects. He believes in enlightened
despotism, not in constitutional bar
riers to his own will.
Here are some of the kaiser's state
ments supporting the views OF the
German author. In the Golden Book
of Munich he wrote: "One only is
master within the empire, and | Will
tolerate no other" On another occa-
sion he said: MY course is the right
one and l shall continue to steer it. !"
And again, There is but one law and
that is my law" The author says, i
have heard now and then during my
res dence in Berlin from the lips o.
honorable army officers remarks of
this kind, which the kaiser had made
at banquets, which sounded perfectly
sane, but which were readily account
ed for by the fact that he was flush
ed with wine" But wine cannot DE
used as an excuse for a constant and
consistent course, for the ka ser GER
tainly is not always drunk. He de-
tests the socialist party, and says it is
"a horde of men unworthy to bear
the name of Germans. The author
SAYS the kaiser insults the social SITS
and their families in the grossest
manner and if they say anything not
to his liking he sends them to prison,
where many have died, and that he
has never pardoned one for this Of
tense against his dignity. He has a
strong dislike against the press, and
as result the German press is Sc
surely and effectually muZzled. This
German author further says: 1.-The
kaiser and the upper and ruling
classes of Germany look upon the
United States as little better :han
mob government. collected during
my stay in Berlin few authentic ut
terances made by the kaiser about
this country. To General Runyon, am
bassador to Berlin, he said: Such a
pushing people as the Americans will
sooner or later clash with others, but
let us hope never with Germany. To
Ambassador White he said: America
/ is a country OF contrasts, piercing
\ .o.lt, and dam cha 6nwc And on an