The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-09-03

Sah u Ills pdldCe eltner tnat noon or
at four p. IN.
was ushered into a very large room
In the corner OF which was business
like looking fiat-topped desk. but which
was otherwise elaborately furnished.
The reichskanzler, n tall. broad-shoul-
dered, handsome specimen Of man.
came over to me and, putting his arm
In mine, walked me to seat beside
the desk. He asked me what would
smoke, and upon my taking a cigar
cite, he did likewise.
"The kaiser's been telling me, doc
tor" he said. "of your recent visit to
America, and would like to ask you
few questions"
1 said that was always glad to talk
| Of America. Indeed, 1 was particular.
ly glad of the opportunity to speak
| with the prime miniSter of Germany at
| that time
Then followed a bewildering success
sion of questions. the purpose of
which was not at all clear to me. We
had peculiar conversation-half in
German, half in English. The reichs-
kanzler did not speak English partics
| ularly well.
How are things In American" he
asked. "Did you have any opportu-
nifty to gauge the political situation7
Who do you think will be the next
president7 Do you think that Ameri-
cans are opposed to peace because
that would end their chance to make
money out >of the war; Are your
people so mercenary that they would
like to see the war prolonged for the
sake of the money they can make out
Of it7"
mo. your excellency," replied,
you re quite wrong II you imagine
that my countrymen would like to pro-
long the war for the sake Of war
profits. That Is very far from being
the case. On the contrary, the coun-
try at large is anxious for peace"
Don't forget your people are MAX
Ing lot of money out Of this war;"
the reichskanzler persisted. "They
are becoming very rich. They will
soon have all the gold in the world.
Putting an end to the war would to "a
great extent end American opportuni-
ties for making money on this enor-
nous scale"
THAT may be all true" replied,
but fortunately my countrymen think
more Of the blessings Of peace and
liberty than they do Of war and profits,
and the sooner peace can be brought
about on basis which will have
some assurance of permanency the bet
ter we will like It,"
"Wilson has the greatest opportu-
nifty ever presented to a man to make
his name Immortality bringing about
peace In the world" he went on 1--WE
feel now that he is not ouf friend, but
friendly to the allies, but nevertheless
he may be able to see that II this war
is prolonged indefinitely 1t will mean
the destruction of all the nations in
volved In IT.. Do you think there Is
any possibility Of America entering
the war2"
THAT, Of course. will depend, your
excellency." 1 answered, "upOn devel-
Opments. don't believe my country
is anxious to fight, but I'm quite sure
that nothing in the world will keep us
out of 1t If our rights as a neutral
nation are not respected"
"We certainly don't like the way
Hughes has been talking on the
stump" declared the reichskanzler.
"Did you hear any of his speeches or
any of Wilson's7"
! / said had had no opportunity to
! hear any of the campaign speeches,
, but that / had followed them in the
newspapers.
well. did you gather from what
you read that the American people
want to see peace in Europe or do
they want the war to 20 on so they
can continue to make fortunes out
Of it?"
Again l replied that I was certain
our country would never be influenced
by such sordid considerations as were
but that If the right kind of peace
could be brought about the whole
country would eagerly embrace 1t.
The subject OF the U-boat campaign
| was never mentioned and 1t was not
until several months later when the
submarine warfare was started again
on greater scale than ever that
realized that the whole purpose Of
this interview was to ascertain IL they
| could. without telling me their intcn-
tions, who was the candidate, Hughes
or Wilson. who would be least dam
| gerous to them if more American ves-
sells were sunk in the ruthless sub
marine campaign they were then con-
templating.
The election was drawing close. IL