Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-11-29
CHAPTER XIV.
The German People,


takes binds him first to support the
kaiser with his life and his money,
and then the fatherland.
That is what the kaiser referred to
when he said, in the course of an al.
dress to a body of recruits at Pots
dam:
"Body and soul you belong to me.
If l command you to shoot your r.
Tiers and your mothers you
must follow my command without q
murnur."
The same thought is involved, c.
course, in the kaiser's inyariaDle use
of the possessive pronoun, first person.
in talking of the German people. lie
always says ray people," never tie
people" The worst feature about 1t
is that not only does the kaiser pro-
coed upon the assumption that he owns
the German people "body and soul"
but the people themselves are willing
TO admit Il. The Germans are the most
willing yassals IN the world. ..
yeneraticn and awe OF the kaiser are
bred in the bone OF the Germans. Even
among the socialists, who are not near
| " as opposed to the monarchlal idea
| as is commonly supposed, there u
strong sentiment Of loyalty toward th2
| emperor True, Tie socialists are
! ciamoring constantly for the reform
vote and other political changes, but /
| win f
war. at any rate-any large percentage
| Of socialists would have seized the cp-
rorturity to dethrone the kaiser had
it presented itself. Certainly any sIca
attempt would have been speedily
gmothered by those Who rename
loyal, even without the aid Of tie
: military.
AS long as the kaiser is able to up
! hold German S place among the 1T"
! tons of the world so long will his
people uphold him. They Will stand
behind him as long as he goes forward;
they viii repudiate him as soon as h@
! turns back. They will acclaim him IL
| triumph, but will not tolerate him ii
, defeat. The kaiser himself realizes
! hat nis tenure of office rests upon
victory. The war was started for the
! sake OF world dominion; it has been
continued solely to save the kaiser's
| throne.
Coming into such intimate and fire.
! quent contact with tine kaiser, had
wonderful opportunity to observe the
,i,I,
and his people.
! The conduct Of the people since the
var affords no safe criterion OF their
! normal views and sentiments. The
activity Of government agents and the
! mower of the inspired press exertel
! such Il great influence on the feelings
; CT the people that any outward Slgi-s
! OF enthusiasm which they diSplay&i
must be literally discounted. Tie
! demonstrations in favor of the kaiser
and his leaders since the war have
! nccn riore or less artificial, the crowd
. saing worked up by government agents
. gn,! the press accounts have invariably
Iiagnified them. Before the war, how
! ever, whatever acclaim the kaiser re-
! celved from the public came sponte~
EcousIy, and Was>tor that reason OF
greater significance.
: Know that whenever the kaiS9t
called at my Office great crowds gath"
. cred outside to catch a glimpse of hiD2
when he came out. They waited pa
! tiently, sometimes for as long as an
! hour, for the sake Of greeting their
! emperor. Their conduct on these oc-
! casions showed very plainly that he
: had strong hold on their affections.
! The kaiser was their idol, and they
were ready to suffer any Inconvenience
! for the sake Of doing him honor.
| It was customary for classes OF
! school children to be taken TO the Tier
gartcn from time to time to study the
groups of statues OF the kaiser's an
ccstors in the Sieges Alice. They usual
! iy passed my house On their way TO
their object-!esson IN patriotism. Solie-
times, when the kaiser WAS at my
house. have seen these children halt
cd IL front Of the place to await t2e
ennnror's departure their teachers, 40
doubt, feeling thai the youngsters
would gain greater inspiration from
a fteeting glimpse # the Iiv.ag mon
arch than they G@~:d possibly derive
from prolonged study Of taa statues
Of his departed ancestors.
Most of my patients knew that the
kaiser visited NE, and they never tired
OF asking questions about him. 1t was
almost impossible for them to believe
that they were to have the privilege IF
sitting in the very chair which their
kaiser had occupied.
"Does the kaiser actually sit in this
very chair?" they would ask in incred-
ulous tones. Does he ever talk about
anything? Please tell me what he said
the last time he was here"
Anew German Office girl whom ] he'd
ENGAGED attracted the kaiscl's at1cn-
ton. ana he was gracious enough To
shake hands with her After he had
LETT the girl held out the hand the Eal.
ser had grasped and said she wouldn't
wash it for a week!
"Just to think, this hand has grasped
tn kaiser's hand! When l tell my
family about it tonight they won't be-
lteve it"
The fact that the kaiser condescend-
ed to acknowledge the plaudits Of his
people by Il salute or a wave OF the
hand was cited as proof of his gra-
ciousnCss and kindness; their god was
smiling on them, and their gratiiica-