Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-08
IF I WERE THE KAISER
By MILE. MARGUERITE CLEMENT

Wodcmoiselle Clement. a distinguished
French teacher, was sent to this country
by her Government to study American
reactions in the tUdr. She has been t0rit-
ing brilliant series OF articles IN
L'Oeurrc, of PARTS. from one Of ,ohich the
fOloUing eTtrGCt is trdnSlated-Edtor
EUenng Public LedgerJ
TIME Kaiser has been very frank. he
l. has admitted that Germany does not
want to enslave the world only to civliiZe
II: TO reveal to it efficiency and justice at
one swoop; to teach it to clean its streets
10 educate it's children and to scorn money
"A noble enterprise against shameless
England and money-grubbing America
sunk in imperialism and dollars.
How America was amazed! She had not
suspected Wilhelm of this civilizing fever.
r WOULD advise Wilhelm tafter the war;
l. to visit New York. He might so and
study some of the immigrant famlhes-
Polish or Russian perhaps-and compare
the parents with the children. The chill
dren bathe every day; they take part in
the administration of their school; they
learn to speak in public; they swear allie
glance every day to the law that protects
them and which they will be able to mod
,fy at will when they are old enough to
vote. They believe in fair play; they drink
water; they go by thousands to read good
books in splendid libraries. They are
phlets written to inform and fortify the
that life affords: and it seems also that
they have learned. too, to prefer to life
itself the things that are greater than
| life.
II seems to me it would take good deal
| of courage to explain to America just what
one might do to civilize her.
| A MERICA'S reply to the Kaiser is writ
| n ten in the booklets of idealstic propa-
| panda that she distributes to her people.
| I am referring not to the official messages
| of President Wilson. but to the little PAM
phlets written to inform and fortify the
| American soldier. They speak his own
| language and deal with those thoughts that
are most potent to inspire him. I shall
ouote one Of these. distributed in millions.
It is called the credo of the soldier:
believe in my America, In this land of
| individual liberty, of justice and oppor-
| tunity for all-in the America which has
given me my home. my friends and my
| work.
| l believe In a government that draws
its authority from the people, in democ-
racy capable of evolving with the years
to adapt itself to the changing needs of
mankind
1 believe that the pledges of nation
| are sacred and that all civilization rests
| upon agreements faithfully observed. be-
| ueve that national honor is as real as
| personal honor. and that one cannot exist
| without the other / believe that there Is
no neutrality possible between good and
| evil.
| / believe that am going to fight for the
| right for women and children and for my
friends, without any spirit of revenge or
hatred, but with the single desire of as
surfing the peace of the world.
| believe in the stars that stud my flag.
, They mean that it is the flag of liberty, of
| democracy and of brotherhood among men.
MOTHER pamphlet that / shall quot
IA was distributed in American streets t
small children during the last Liberty LOAF
campaign. Unfortunately / cannot repro
duce the humorous illustrations. I will
translate a few passages:
What Is a Kaiser?--A Kaiser is an old
anachrenism thirsting for blood
Why are there stil Kaisers; since there
are no more dragons unicorns Don't
be in Z hurry Give us ume. sl
Il what Il German soldier 1--A poor fel
low xhe AGhts 70 preserve ~ privilege q
" IS ~ NJ .tfI ". 'slEI u, ~