The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-12-27
CHAPTER v.
The Kaiser Defends German War
Methods

The kaiser was always very careful
about everything which might affec
his health, and even after the wa
started, when his attention was natu
rally occupied by many pressing prob
lens, he did not neglect his teeth, bu
came to me as regularly as he had al
ways done.
OF this l was very glad, because i
gave me an opportunity to draw thu
kaiser out on many of the interesting
questions which the war suggested
and which / found him always ready
TO discuss. Perhaps the fact that
was an American led the kaiser tc
greater lengths in his justification OF
German war methods and measures
thun he might otherwise have thought
necessary.
The first time I saw the kaiser after
the war started was about August 10,
1914. Between eleven and twelve
o'clock the night before, l had been
notified by telephone that the kaiser
would like me to attend him at the
Berlin palace the following morning
at nine o'clock. He was about to make
his first visit to the front and wanted
his teeth examined before he went.
The work had to do for him was
nothing of a serious character and did
not occupy more than twenty minutes.
One of his Wallets stood by to give me
any assistance I might need, but left
the room when I was through.
'Have you been reading in the pa
pers, Davis" the kaiser asked when we
were alone, show our soldiers have
been treated by the Belgians?"
I said / had not had a chance to
read the papers that morning."
swell, you must certainly read them.
They've been gouging out the eyes of
our wounded and mutilating my men
horribly They call it modern, civil
iized warfare. That's savageryi
hope your president is taking notice
of these atrocities"
OF course l was in no position to
contradict the kaiser's assertions, as
/ was not in possession of any of the
facts, but 1 learned afterward that
four American newspaper correspond
ents had secured Germany from one
end of the country to the other in an
effort to run down these reports. They
left no rumor uninvestigated, no mat
ter how far they had to travel to ver-
lfy it. When they had finally exhaust
ed every clue and followed every lead |
they had not found single case to
Justify the charge the kaiser had made |
against the Belgians and which, of |
course, the inspired German press con-
.inued to report from day to day.
The object of these lies was to jus
ify the outrages which the Germans
we're committing in their plan to ter
orize the inhabitants of the countries
hey were overrunning. According to
eports the activities of franc-tireurs
q the occupied territories were met
" the Germans with the most bar
aric punishments, crucifixion and
imilar atrocities being very common.
Undoubtedly the kaiser was aware of |
THAT his soldiers were doing, and to {
efend their conduct he lent a ready
ar to the unfounded charges made |
gainst the Belgians.
Il have already framed message |
Thich / intend sending to your presi- ,
ent regarding the use of dumdum i
ullets by the. Belgians and French"
ne kaiser went on. ave have ample |
roof to establish this charge not only ! '
! the character of the wounds suffered t
y my soldiers but in the shape of I'M
sed cartridges which we found in the t
aptured forts" a
Strangely enough, the kaiser sent 4
f his protest to President Wilson
bout the same day that President 7
ased upon the use of dumdum bullets p
? the Germans.
Regarding the violation OF Belgium's r
the kaiser was able to Of p
r no reasonable argument. The fact f
lat he was willing to pay Belgium for v
emission to allow his armies to go s
rough that country was apparently t.
Efficient justification in his eyes for n
king by force what Belgium refused e
sell.
''How foolish of Belgium to have re-
sted us I" he declared, in this con-
.ction. "Had they consented to let c
! walk through we would have paid n
r everything everything Not
lir Of their heads would have been I
uched and Belgium today would be c
the same happy financial condition n
at Luxembourg is"
At a subsequent interview we re- s.
rred to Belgium again, and the kali d
I alleged that Japan had violated II
e neutrality OF China when she sent K
,ops through Chinese territory to a
lie Kiao-C hau. g
III Is all right for the allies to do s.
ese things" he commented sarcas- O
ally, .'but when Germany does them a
,rland rises up In righteous indig- s.
don. The hypocritesI Why, we p
md papers in Brussels which v
owed conclusively that England and o
.lxfum had q secret agreement BY n
,ich ii the event Of war with Ger q
M Engiand vas to be permitted to Il
cuby Belgium! We've got those pa v
- y Rerain. We could have no Il