The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1918-01-24
WILLIAMS REPLY TO
SATAN'S LETTER
Potsdam. Dec. y. 1911

nay, kiddishly-for have long
looked upon you as younger
brother in crime. My delay in max
ing this reply is easily explained.
You sent your letter by the shade
of the late commander OF my U-boat
hat launched torpedo that caused
the Lusitania to sink You could not
have selected a slower rabbit for
such a mission-he was the limit
when in my service and hell-tire
loes not seem TO have quickened his
spirit. While the survivors OF the
Lusitania disaster were drifting about
n life-boats, this "slow-coach" could
have slaughtered all of them, but lie
vas either too slow or too conscien-
ious-think Of one Of my command
.rs having a conscience-to drown or
kill all of those screaming women
md sucking little children. Can you
beat it2
Why, "Sate" old sport, | can even
low, in imagination, sec those moth
RS struggling, screaming, strangling
md sinking, and those dimpled lit
tie babies drawing the water OF the
ocean into their nostrils and lungs,
yhile their eyes almost pop from
heir sockets and the blood rushes
rom their ears-and my heart is
made glad All, what a picture But
{ pinch myself, | wake up and the
,ell-fire in my veins turns icy-cold
or | know that my gladness is not
ounded upon reality in its fullness
"a few of those mothers and babies
escaped. So much, then, in explana-
ion of my apparently inexcusable
,ardincss and neglect.
You say that you have abdicated
he throne of hell in my favor. like
YOUR nerve You have not had the
slightest real authority in hell since
July OF the year 1914. permitted you
10 think that you possessed some
power in hell, because you had been
in charge so long that | did moi
nave the heart-do you get me' the
heart"--to dccapitate you without
notice. You have certainly had no
ice for Bismarck conveyed from MI
10 YOU the message that it was my
purpose to begin moving hell to Ger
many during the year 1914. Since
hen | have looked upon you as the
prince of mere dependency OF the
Tatherland, which has been only an
other name for hell since 1914. Mick
Did boy, you must not feel hurt or
by my frankness. | wa
patient with you and permitted yo,
10 run hell in slip-shod fashion un-
il | was ready to annex all of the
world and establish hell on earth
>ut when Won Tirpitz told me that
Bismarcks shade heard you say that
[ was getting too damned cruel and
:unning when | had my soldiers car
off women and young girls il
Belgium and France and place poison
in the wells, | knew that you had
lost much of your old vigor and were
or a moment can ! trust your judg
nent in these times when such mel
IS Woodrow Wilson and David LloyC
ieorge are talking about making the
world safe for democracy. Do you
tealize what that would mean? Ii
would mean the very antithesis of all
hat | propose. 1t would mean the
destruction of my mailed fist" 1t
would mean the end of Prussianism
nd the dropping of shackles from
he ankles and wrists of the German
people. 1t would mean the end OF
Wholesale slaughter of old men, wo-
men and children. 1t would mean
hat there shall be no more poison
wells, no more wilful destruction
and confiscation of private proper
y; no more burning. blasting anL
lesecrating OF hospitals, cathedral,
md churches. 1t would mean peace
md justice and righteousness thru.
out the world and it would break m,
heart
You dared to mention me in the
anne breath with Nero. Why, Mick
& was piker, fat-head and fool
What did he do? Not a thing TO,
ne OF your boys to brag about H.,
imply ordered the burning of on,
ity while he looked on and PLAYED
us fiddle. You know what | hav,
one and if you ever again reminc
he of cheap skate like Nero.
hall be tempted to lose my temper
1t is said that a stream can rise II,
'igher than its source. am the on,
Exception to that rule My source
5 in you, but | have reached an
eminence in deviltry, cruelty and
.iendishness never dreamt of by YOU
)r any dweller in hell, am com
posed OF elements that the stew O;
Sill Shakespeare'S witches skinned a
,ity block, and then some You know
he, Nick. have the breath of IL.
culture, the heart of the hyena, the
conscience OF the ghoul, the brain OF
the burglar and the fangs OF the
asp! Ia! hal You remember what
an asp did to charming Cleopatra
when She placed it in her snowy