The sun., 1918-11-10


brought the Kaiser CLOSER to war.
france yielded and the crisis passed.
but the sting was there Russia, which
Bismarck had always favored and
rursed as n friend, had been ulienated
bv Williams policy. After the defeat
OF Russia by Japan william proceeded
10 declare the great eastern empire OF
the Car negligible. Turkey was APP.
preached. Kaiser and Kaiserin made a
tourney to Constantinople and the
league Of northern brutality with Turk
ish detestableneSs came about. The lines
we're drawing tighter and II was only a
question Of time when the hour would
strike.
The Kaiser made journeys to Eng
land. and appeared to enjoy them.
Curiously, his early turn for English life
revived He was now a yachtsnan and
appeared to believe in the English turn
for sport" but the dockyards were
busy, the preparations went on, and
German officers began drinking toasts
10 1.-THE Day: namely, that on which
they should meet the English, lust as
tho English supporters of the exiled
stuarts used to hold their glasses over
water bowl when they drank a toast
10 THE King"-to 'the King over the
water" William before this had ad-
vocated closer use of the German
tensifying Germanism. Nothing seemed
left undone to whip the empire to
white heat. His November storm in
1s0S-an indiscreet interview published
In England-aroused bitter feeling there.
at homo and elsewhere abroad. He loved
peace, he loved the English, but they
did not love him. He even suffered in
Germany. he said, for his championship
OF England. Then for a couple of years.
hA at "a
held his peace. but redoubled his ef-
forts to make Germany ready. A con-
victiou is forced on one that German
eelf-confidence, however well founded
aud which was racial as we'll as i'm
perial. brought back to the Kaiser the
olden thought. the old temptation. that
the time to round out his career with
brilliant war was at hand. Never OF
p certainty was the General Staff at
Berlin so worked To the most meticu-
lous detail possible campaigns were
worked over and distant preparations
made, whose range and extent were I'M
known at home, and unimagined by the
outside world at the time. The Kaiser's
Identification of himself as the Regent
Of God became more pronounced. At last
the occasion came. One need not here
review at length very recent history In
which the matters in dispute covered lit
n
the Austrian throne and his wife were
sent to death i'm the public street at
Serajevo, in Bosnia by a youth on June
IS, 1914. The genesis Of the deed was
said to have been traced to Serbia.
Seven days later-"the fatal July S"
at a meeting held in Berlin. the
Kaiser present, tho demands that
drawn up-terms which no nation
could brook entire Francis Joseph
obeved the order from Berlin. Germany
after July 5 began making preparations
for war. Events followed their course
Serbia agreed to all the terms but one.
That no nation could endure and live.
Wilhelm had ostentatiously gone yacht
ing after July 8. He returned practi-
calIy 10 declare war Austria cried.
AN. allr' Russia said II could not
look unmoved on this crushing OF
Serbia. SO Kaiser Wilhelm declared war
on Russia and invaded Belgium on
his way to France. Then came England
into the war 'in defence OF Belgium,
Germany calling her treaty with Bel
GUM, in the spirit of Nietzsche and
'rreitschke and Bernhard. scrap OF
pager.
Struggles over War Decision.
In his own words the casting of the
dice OF war cost him aterfofe mentai
struggle when at last opportunity lay
under his hand with the pen on the
table and his Minister assuring him
that all would be we'll. He probably
doubted his luck, but he signed.
A dash, a greater dash and one
still greater. The massed German for
nation in face OF modern missiles ap-
pealed to him. He would break through :;
he would not go around. No doubt the
plans of the first advance on France
lad his approval; they were wholly in
his spirit The ineffectiveness OF the
crown Prince in his attsmpt to break the
russian lines in the East after the
breakdown OF the first offensive against
France came from the same wild re-
solve to crush through at all cost, which
was the Kaiser's militant creed up to
that time, and easily, therefore. the
creed Of the boy. Shortly thereafter
there were signs that the ruling OF
the great campaigns. even their origin
had been taken away from him, leaving
him a really subordinate share In the
shaping of the great lighting events.
The marvel is that he held out against
Il go long. Such gruelling as he put
upon himself. and fate forced on him,
no matter what physical precaution
In taken, is bound to find the
weak spots IN a mans mental and phys
ical makeup. The haggard man goine
from point to point and front to front
addressing words OF cheer and conf
Ience. indictments TO sacrifice to his men
IN campaigns he was no longer allowed
10 direct. with tho casualties in the
millions the sea closed to him, the food
short. Is far from the picture OF the
debonair Kaiser that had interested