The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-28
CHAPTER vi.
Demoeraey's Worst Enemy.

The great military machine which
the kaiser had built up during the first
% years of his reign 'for the purpose
of maintaining peace" was constantly
itching for war. There was a feeling
among the militariSts that while it
was all right for the kaiser to assume
the role of the prince of Peace dur
ing the period Of preparation, it was
possible to everyday the part. He so
frequently referred to the fact that
his sole purpose in maintaining a large
army and navy was to maintain peace
that the war lords of Germany began
to fear that perhaps he might mean it
The murder of the Archduke Franz
| Ferdinand, the successor to the Aus
TRAN throne, and his wife by a Ser
bian on June %, 1914, gave Germany
the excuse for which she had been
waiting so long to start a European
conhagration and found Austria as
anxious for war as her ally.
But even had Emperor Franz Joseph
shown reluctance to plunge his nation
into war and had Austria refused to
chastise Serbia for the murder of the
Archduke l doubt very much whether
the kaiser would have allowed that
event to have gone unavenged.
It touched him in one of his most
vulnerable spots. The Sanctfty of roy
atty is one of his most cherished ideas.
He felt sponsor for the monarchies
of the world, as we feel sponsor for
the democracies. A thrust at a throne
was stab at the kaiser's heart, and
with or without the cooperation of
Austria firmly believe he would have
gone to any lengths to have avenged
the crime of Sarajevo.
1t is true that the kaiser sent a
message to the car of Russia in
which he pointed out that Austria
ought to be allowed to chastise Serbia
without interference from the other
European powers, remarking, 1--WE
princes must hold together" but there
can be no doubt that that was very
far from the outcome dearest to his
heart. If, indeed, the punishment of
Serbia had been accomplished with
out war the kaiser would have been a
most disappointed man, and il Russia
had failed to mobilize her troops,
which gave Germany a pretext for
crossing the Russian border, 1 haven't
the slightest doubt that Germany
would have prodded Russia into war.
anyway, knowing that France would
follow der Tag" (the day. had
come for which Germany had been
planning and plotting, and nothing on
earth could now interfere with the ex-
ecution of the program.
How firmly the kaiser was welded
to the dynastic idea and how deeply
he abhorred the spirit OF democracy
was revealed throughout the whole
course of his life, and in his CONVERSE
lions with me he frequently gave ex-
preston to views which disclosed how
thoroughly he believed In the divine
right of kings"
saw him shortly after Wilson's
election in 1912.
''What will America ever accomplish
with a professor at its head?" he
asked, sneeringly. 'Davis, your coun-
try will never be truly great until it
becomes a monarchy!''
On another occasion he sneered at
conditions in England.
sLook at England today" he re-
marked "She is ruled by Lloyd
George, a socialist! Why, England is
virtually a republic. as bad as France
What's become Of the king of Eng
land? One never hears of him any
morel Why doesn't he assert him
self?' The tone OF disgust with which
he gave vent to these sentiments was
more significant. perhaps, than the
words used might imply.
''Your president is trying to over
| throw me and my family from the
throne Of Germany by his notes. he
commented bitterly, when saw him
shortly after the publication of the
presidents reply to the pope, ''but he
little understands how loyal are my
people and now futile his efforts will
prove They held meetings recently
all over the empire, in every city and
village, and showed their allegiance
to me In no uncertain way, and your
president received the answer from
my people that he deserved I' I won
dered whether the kaiser was unaware
OF the fact that all these meetings
had been inspired by the government