Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-08-28

my relationship with the Kaiser our
conversations naturally embraced only
the most general of subjects, but in
later years, when he came to know me
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 I
was an American.
One memorable interview 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 1919 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 q
visit to America made him more than
usually eager for 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
country7"
I'm what respect your majestyr' 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
tdent treat the European warning ma.
tons 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 kaise.
that l did not hesitate to answer his
question with another.
II have always understood, your
majesty, that during the Russian Jap.
anese war, Germany continually sup
piled munitions to Russia. Why was
that any more justifable 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-
ating chair in which he had remained,
walking towards me, throwing back
his shoulders and rising to his full
height. 'The cases are entirely differ
ent. When we helped Russia against
Japan we were helping a white race
against yellow race, don't ever for
get that-don't ever forget that. But
with America, that is certainly not the
case. Your country is acting from
purely mercenary motives. It Is q
case Of dollars dollars, dollars !"-and
each time he repeated the word he
struck his partially helpless left hand
violently with his powerful right.
"America values dollars more than she
values German lives She thinks Ii
right to shoot down my people,"
He had worked himself up to q de.
gree of indignation which had seen
him display only on two or three pre-
vious occasions, and l must confess I
was reluctant to start fresh outburst
by answering his arguments. bis
eyes, usually soft and kindly, flashed
fire as he advanced towards me and
slowly and incisively declared: "Davis,
America - must - be - punished -
for-her-actions
In that expression, which he repeat
ed on subsequent occasions in pre-
cisely the same words and with the
same measured emphasis, knew that
he revealed mostly clearly what his at
ttude was and will ever be toward
this country.