Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-10-25
CHAPTER ~.
America Disappoints Kaiser.

The kaiser assembled the throne ID
1885. For twenty-six years his reign
was unmarried by a single war, al
though twice during that period, once
in 1905 and again in 1911, he nearly
succeeded in precipitating a conflict.
Subsequent developments have
brought out clearly enough that during
ali these years of peace, the kaiser
was only awaiting the opportune mo-
ment to bring on war.
Germany's preparation consisted not
merely in building up her army and
navy and developing military spirit
in her people, but in trying to estab-
lish friendships abroad where they
would do the most good in the event
Of world war, .
The German military preparation
was more or less obvious. The kaiser
was always its warmest advocate and
frankly admitted that It was his inten-
tiOn to remain armed to the teeth, al
though he protested to me many times
that his sole object was to maintain
the peace of the world.
In 1918, for instance, was in The
Hague when Carnegie delivered a
speech at the opening of the Peace
palace, in the course of which he de-
clared that the kaiser was a STUN
bling-block in the way of world peace.
When got back to Berlin mention
ed the fact to the kaiser, hoping to
draw him out.
Eyes, I know exactly what Carnegie
said at The Hague" he replied rather
testify, "and don't like the way he
spoke at all. He referred to me as the
war lord and said was standing in
the way Of world peace. Let him look
at my record Of twenty-five peaceful
years on the throne! No, the surest
means to. maintain the peace Of the
world is my big army and navy! Other
nations will think twice before going
to war with us y The fact that he had
previously accepted 100000 marks
from Carnegie for the furtherance Of
universal peace didl't seem to occur
to him.
And the world at large learned more
ganda since the war, but 1t is not gen.
orally known that the same sort Of
thing was going on even more actively
In time Of peace. Countless measures,
Of the most subtle and insidious char
acter. were taken to lull intosa sense of
false security the nations she intended
eventually to attack and to inspire fear
In or command the respect Of nations
which she hoped would remain neutral
,or might even be induced to throw in
their lot with hers in the event Of
war.
: In this phase Of Germany's prepare.
ton for war, the kaiser took a leading
part. 40 5ft. fs " ss.s
It is a fact, for instance, that prac-
tically every officer in the Chilean
army Is q German, and the kaiser has
spared no pains to foster the friend
ship Of the South American republics,
commercially and automatically.
One Of the South American minis
tiers told me of an ex-president of
Peru who had visited Berlin. This
Peruvian had previously visited Lon
don and Paris and had received little
or no official attention in either OF
those capitals. For reasons best
known to himself, the kaiser decided
to cater to this gentleman, and accord
ingly arranged an audience.
In the discussion which took place
when they met, the kaiser displayed
such remarkable acquaintance with
Peruvian affairs and the family his
tory and political career Of his visitor
that the South American was stunned.
When he returned home he carried
with him most exalted idea of the
all-pervading wisdom Of the German
emperor. To what extent the kaiser
had spent the midnight oil preparing
for this interview I have no knowledge,
but knowing the importance he placed
upon making a favorable impression
at all times have mental picture OF
his delving deeply into South Ameri-
can lore in preparation for his guest.
There is nothing dearer to the kaiser
than caste and social distinction. Nor
ganatic marriages were naturally alb
horrent to him. Nevertheless, before
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the sue
cessor to the Austrian throne, was
murdered, the kaiser not only recog-
nized his morganatic wife, who was
only q countess, but went out of his
way to show her Difference. He placed
her at his right at all state functions
which she attended. To bring Austria
and Germany closer together, he was
willing to waive one Of his deep-rooted
prejudices. n.
The significance Of the kaiser's
many visits to Italy, his presentation
Of a statue to Stockholm. his yachting
excursions In Scandinavian waters,
his fiirtations with Turkey from his
castle on the Island Of Corfu, and Sim
liar acts of ingratiation, becomes quite
apparent in the face Of more recent
but his efforts to curry
favor with America during all the
years of peace which preceded the war
were so much more elaborate that they
deserve more than passing mention.