Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-17

When 1 went back to Berlin in the
fall of 1915, after visit to the
United States, the Kaiser was very
anxious to ascertain from me just
how America felt towards the war.
I told him that before the sinking
of the Lusitania, American opinion
had been divided. There had been
many who were strongly pro-Ally,
there had been others who were
openly pro-German and there had
been still others who maintained an
absolutely neutral attitude. After
the Lusitania tragedy, however,
there had been a distinct change
in public feeling, told him, prac-
tically the whole country having
become decidedly anti-German.
Perhaps if the U-boat comman-
der had known so many women and
children were on board" was the
Kaiser's only comment, "he might
not have sent forth the torpedo
which sent the vessel to the bottom,
but what he was thinking of most,
of course, was the 5000 tons of am
munition on board which were des-
tined to slaughter my people!"
OF course. the Kaiser knew that if
the U-boat commanders orders were
to sink the Lusitania, disobedience
upon his part would have left but
one course open for him; suicide. If,
on the other hand, the Kaiser meant
to intimate that the U-boat COM
mander sank the Lusitania on his
own initiative or without special in
structions from his superiors, the
fact still remains that the Kaiser
could, undoubtedly have prevented
the tragedy and didn't.
But if there ca nbe any doubt as Ia
the KaiSer's direct responsibility for
the sinking of the Lusitania, certain
1t is that he fully approved, openly
defended and even eXulted in the
murder of women and children by
Zeppelin raids in London. Manches-
ter, Liverpool and other nonmili-
tary cities and towns.
England expects to starve my
women and children to DEATH" he
declared to eme early in the war
long before we in Germany had be-
gun to feel the slightest effect of
the diminishing food supply, but
our Zeppelins will give their women
and children a taste of war. too.
Confound them! They sit on their
island and try to starve US; we will
give them a taste of what war isl"
This was the man whose various
acts of consideration towards me,
whose talents and personal charms,
had made such a favorable impress
sion upon me! How trivial and in
consequential they all seemed now!
Clearly, they were all a part of the
role he had been playing for years.
While he was outwardly displaying
all the earmarks of a gentle charac-
ter, he was inwardly plotting to DOM
mate the world. For twenty-five
years he maintained the peace of
Europe, he frequently boasted. He
maintained peace just long enough
for the wickedest war that was ever
waged!
And yet strangely enough, even
after the war had revealed the
Kaiser to. me in his true eolors and
had shown him to be capable of
deeds which I should have thought
were foreign to his nature, his pres
ence always had a most remarkable
effect upon me.
I have a vivid mental Impression
of him now as I write. He is stand
ing in the center of my room, drawn
up to his full height. his shoulders
thrown back, his left hand upon the
hilt of his sword and his right en-
phasizing his remarks, protesting in
the most earnest manner that it was
not he who was responsible for the
war and all it's horrors, but that it
had come upon the world despite all
he had done to prevent 1t. His ready
we'll chosen words entrance me. I
feel that this man must be telling
me the truth and I am ready to be-
lieve that before me stands the most
unjustly adjudged man in the world.
And then he shakes my hand in
farewell and is driven away, and as
gaze at the spot where he stood,
there comes before my eyes the des-
olation of Belgium. the tragedy of
the Lusitania, the despoilation of
France and Poland, the destruction
of women and children in London
and Paris and a thousand and one
other atrocious deeds which belle the
Kaiser's fair words. and l realize
that have been talking to the
worlds most finished actor and have
simply been bewitched by the power
of his personal magnetism.
A V1ruyEIl