Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-09-20

| to dispose Of my German practice and
return home.
My second reason for wanting to gel
was the fact that food conditions in
Germany were becoming more pre-
carious every Cay. My wife and
| feared that our child, who was two
years old, might suffer from lack OF
proper nourishment if we remained
and determined that no matter how
long 1t might be necessary for me to
remain in Berlin, my wife and child
at any rate should leave at the earliest
possible moment.
My third reason, however, was by
! far the most insistent of all.
l had become convinced that what
knew of the kaiser and his plans, now
that we were at war, ought to be COM
municated to America without delay
and that the only way to do that ade-
quately would be to get home as soon
as 1 possibly could, no matter what
personal sacrifice might be involved in
abandoning my European practice and
interests.
1t is true that in the early years of
my relationship with the kaiser our
conversations naturally embraced only
the most general of subjects, but in
better, he cast aside all reserve and
talked to me on whatever was upper
most in his mind at the time. After
the war started that, of course, formed
the principal subject of our discus
sions and the part that America was
playing in the conflict was frequently
brought up because of the fact that 1
was an American.
One memorable interview I had had
with him influenced me perhaps more
than any other single factor to hasten
the settlement of my European affairs
and return home.
1t was in the fall of 1916. The kali
ser had come to me for professional
attention, and after my work was COM
pleted he remained to discuss some
of the aspects OF the war. Perhaps the
fact that had just returned from a
visit to America made him more than
usually eager for a chat with me-
We had discussed various phases of
the war, when the kaiser changed the
subject abruptly with the question:
"Davis, what's the matter with your
country"
''In what respect, your majesty" I
asked.
why is it that your country is so
unfair to Germany? Why do you per-
sist in supplying munitions and money
to the allies? Why doesn't your pres
ident treat the European warning ma
lions the same as he treated Mexico
by putting an embargo on munitions
and letting US fight this thing out our
selves? You do not ship munitions to
US. why do you ship them to the other |
side?'
was on such terms with the kaiser !
that did not hesitate to answer his
question with another.
Il have always understood, your
that during the Russian-Jap.
anese war, Germany continually sup
piled munitions to Russia. Why was
that any more justifiable than America
supplying munitions to the allies?
Then again, in the Spanish-American
-
Davis, you surprise mel' the kali
ser interrupted, rising from the oper-
lting chair, in which he had remained,
Walking towards me, throwing back
his shoulders and rising to his full
height. "The cases are entirely differ
mt. When we helped Russia against
Japan we were helping a white race
against yellow race, don't ever for
ret that-don't ever forget that. But
With America, that is certainly not the
ase. Your country is acting from
,urely, mercenary motives. 1t is a
ase of dollars, dollars, dollars p'-and
ach time he repeated the word he
truck his partially helpless left hand
iolently with his powerful right
America values dollars more than she
alues German livesl She thinks II
ght to shoot down my people,"
He had worked himself up to a de-
rec Of Indignation which l had seen
i'm display only on two or three pre-
Ious occasions, and I must confess I
as reluctant to start a fresh outburst
Y answering his arguments. His {
yes, usually soft and kindly, flashed
re as he advanced towards me and {
owly and incisively declared: 'Davis, c
merica = must = be = punished - t
!" t
IN that expression, which he repeat h
on subsequent occasions in pre- a
sely the same words and with the Il
me measured emphasis, knew that "
revealed mostly clearly what his at A
-ude was and will ever be toward Il
is country. Il
CHAPTER II. W