The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-04-03
CAN 1T BE DoNE9
(By Lowell F. Chester of The
Vigilantes)
The Kaiser is a shrewd man.

The Kaiser is a shrewd man.
But so are you.
Then let's see what you would do II
you were the Kaiser Perhaps we
can figure out what his future actions
will be, and find way to checkmate
them
In the first place, il you were the
Kaiser, you would have to admit it as
a certainty that If the United States
completes the training of her army of
a million-and-a-hal men, gets them
thoroughly equipped, and sends them
over to the trench line, then Germany
will be decisively beaten. Your gen.
erals would tell you that, If you
forced them to tell you the truth. And
that truth would stand out over and
above all other considerations. You
would have to face it. Now, how
would you deal with it? You would
run over in your mind all possible
ways Of stopping Americas prepara-
tons. From bitter experience you
would know that America can not be
bluffed out: and your stats of mill
tary, naval, and secret-service officers
would assure you that every means
Of force and subterfuge were already
being tried to their utmost, and with
out any appreciate effect in stopping
the irresistible embattlement of Am
erican men and American millions
against you So finally you would be
driven to admit that only by some
sort of surrender could you save
yourself, and Germany.
Some sort Of surrender" And
then great thought strikes you! A
wonderful idea-doubtless sent to
you in your hour of peril by your
side-partner on high. Suppose you
publish it broadcast to all the nations
that you are ready-for the sake Of
humanity, of course-to make peace
by giving such concessions as cannot
be refused by the Allies. They
would be backed by guarantees, iron
bound guarantees, oh yes! You
would evacuate Northern France,
restore" Belgium, rehabilitate Ser
via, and even cede Alsace-Lorraine,
if necessary The German people
would welcome peace at that price,
and the generals and Junkers-with
a word of your big. idea in their ears
would keep their mouths shut. And
America? Aha! That is the big idea
itself! OF course the few intelligent
Americans would be suspicious, but
, mass Of the American people-fools
and pigs!-would see in those gener
GUS concessions a glorious victory fol-
peace, and the chance to get their
men back again out Of the army
They would jump at the bait and by
. their insistent and clamorous de-
mands force the government to &C.
cept your terms. And that would
!, mean the stopping of the American
, preparation and the DISCRIMINATION
, of the army in France! Yes, it would
, necessitate the withdrawal of Ger
man troops from France and Belgium
] and the cession of Alsace-Lorraine,-
! on paper. But what of that? L
| America does not stop, remember
3 you would have to do these thing
: willy-nilly, And it would not be TO
long, anyway. With America SAT,
j. back on her own side of the Atlantis
l. and little time to bully Russia int,
n restocking you with food and per
|, haps, men, it would not take NOR
|, than year or two to organize quiet
s ly a new and sudden raid whicl
: would-oh, what wouldn't it do
= Guarantees? Oh, well, you wouldn'
l. take them seriously, of course! |
= only the American fools will take tn
bait!
Isn't that the way you would worl
it, if you were the Kaiser?
And as l said, the Kaiser is
} shrewd man.