The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-10-17
cHAPTER VI.
Democracy's Worst Enemy.

Of maintaining pence" was constantly
itching for war. There was a feeling
among the militarists that while II
was all right for the kaiser to assume
the role of the "Prince Of Peace" dur
Ing the period Of preparation, 1t 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 wal lords Of Germany began
to fear that perhaps he might mean 1t.
The murder Of the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, the successor to the Aus
TRAN throne, and his wife by q Ser
bian on June 20, 1914, gave Germany
the excuse for which she had been
waiting so long to start a European
confiagration 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
tAC hnioCi Woutu navy oiho"No thhN
event to have gone unavenged.
It touched him I'm one Of his most
vulnerable spots. The sanctity 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 ut n throne
was a stab at the kaiser's heart, and
with or without the cooperation OF
Austria / firmly believe he would have
gone 70 any lengths to have avenged
the crime Of Sarajevo.
1t IL true that the kaiser sent a
message to the czar 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 II Russia
had failed to mobilize her troops,
which gave Germany a pretext for
crossing the Russian border, I 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 yer accomplish
with a professor at Its headT he
asked, sneeringly. "Davis, your coun-
try will v be truly great until 1t
becomes a monarchy!
On another occasion he sneered at
conditions In England.
"Look 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
landf One never hears Of him any
morei 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 I 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
20 me In no uncertain way. and your
president received the answer from
my people that he deserved" / won.
dered whether the kaiser was unawars
Of the fact that all these meeting.
had been inspired by the government
and their useful agent, the press. OF
whether he was once again making
use Of his histrionic ability.
Although Germany h regarded a,
the cradle Of socialism, to the kaiser
Il was q cancer which was slowly eat
Ing away the foundations Of his EN-
pire and he viewed its progress with
the direst m~isgivings.
Before the war he s~teadfastly re
FUSED to receive q deputation Of 90
sialists and never once gave an audi
snce to the leaders Of the socialis
E,arty In the reichstag. although thu
heads Of committees Of all the othel
POLITICAL parties were Mt times II
@seIved IN conference.
while the reichstag was little mee'
khan ! children's Debating society. IA
s;rovtA and increasing power q ~
zosaollstic party. which va CONSTANT!
xlninog1ne Tor tie reform yoea could
49, - $1,000 enA "a Aonnkk hn6 T