Emmons County record., 1918-10-10

Feruinanu, the successor 70 tine Aus
trian throne, and his wife by Ser
bian on June 20. 1914, gave Germany
the excuse for which she had been
waiting 40 long to start European
and found Austria as
anxious for war rs her ally.
But even had Emperor Franz Joseph
shown reluctance to plunge his nation
Into war and had Austria refused to
chastise Serbia for the murder of the
Archduke doubt very much whether
the kaiser would have allowed that
event to have gone unavenged.
It touched him in one Of his most
vulnerable spots. The sanctity of roy.
atty is one of his most cherished idens.
He felt sponsor for the monarchies
of the world. as we feel sponsor for
the democracies. A thrust at throne
wns stab at the kaiser's heart, and
with or without the cooperation Of
Austria firmly believe he would have
gone to any lengths to have avenged
the crime Of Snrajevo.
It is true that the kaiser sent q
message to the car Of Russia in
which he pointed out that Austria
ought to he allowed to chastise Serbia
without interference from the other
European powers. remarking, 1--WE
princes must hold together" but there
can be no doubt that that was very
far from the outcome dearest to his
heart. II. Indeed, the punishment Of
Serbia had been accomplished with
out war the kaiser would have been a
most disappointed man. and IL Russia
had failed to mobilize her troops,
which gave Germany pretext for
crossing the Russian border. haven't
the slightest doubt that Germany
would have prodded Russia into war,
anyway. knowing that France would
follow. "Der Tag" (the day) had
come for which Germany had been
planning and plotting. and nothing on
earth could now Interfere with the ex-
ecution Of the program.
How firmly the kaiser, was welded
to the dynastic idea and how deeply
he nbhorred the spirit Of democracy
wns revealed throughout the whole
course of his life, and in his converse.
tions with me he frequently gave ex-
preston to views which disclosed how
thoroughly he believed in the 'divine
right Of kings"
/ saw him shortly after Wilson's
election in 1912.
4 "What will America ever accomplish
with professor at its head?" he
asked. sneeringly. "Davis, your coun.
try will never be truly great until II
becomes monarchy r.
On another occasion he sneered al
conditions in England.
'Look ut England today" he re
marked. "She is ruled by Lloyd
George, socialist! Why, England Ii
virtually a republic. rs bad us France
What's become Of the king of Eng
land? One never hears of him any
more! :. Why doesn't he assert him
self" The tone CT disgust with which
he gave vent to these sentiments wa:
more significant, perhaps. than tn,
words used might imply.
's''Your president is trying to over
throw me and my family from tn,
throne of Germnny by his notes." h
commented bitterly. when / saw hin
shortly after the publication of th'
presidents reply to the pcpe, "but HI
little understands how loyal are m.
people and now futile his efforts vii
prove. They held meetings recent,
:. CA over the empire, in every city ant
village. and showed their allcsianc
to me in no uncertain way, and you
president received the answer fror
my peoplelthat .le deserved' y / won
:. dered whether the kaiser was unawar
:. of the fact that all these meeting
had been inspired by the governmen
and their useful agent, the press, o
whether he was once again maxim
use of his histrionic ability.
Although Germany is regarded q
the cradle Of socialism, to the kaise
1t was cancer which was slowly eai
ing away the foundations of his e..
pire and he viewed its progress wit
the direst misgivings.
Before the war he steadfastly r:
fused to receive, deputation CT 81
cialists and never once gave an aud
ence to the leaders of the socialis
party in the reichstag, although th
heads of committees of all the othe
political parties We're at times n
ceived in conference.
While the reichsrag was little mol
than children's debating society, ttl
growth and increasing power Of th
socialistic party, which was constant
clamoring for the reform vote, coul
not be ignored, and no doubt had
great deal to do with the lnilitarist
: anxiety not to postpone the war tc
long.
: After mobilization was ordere
: however the kaiser decided to recet
from his position somewhat, and fro
the balcony of the palace in Berlin,
front of which an enormous crow
had gathered, he declared s;gniacan
ly: II recognize no parties. We al
now all Germans"