Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-10-18
CHAPTER VIII.
Tho KaIser's Confidence Of Victor


yiied by some journalistic friends o
allowed thu press. The military repre-
senfatlyes Of England. France. Amer
lea and other countries were ther'
with the knlscrs stan TO witness the
display Of GermnDy's military power
| Apparently they were very much I'm
| pressed. for | heard afterwards thai
one OF the French officers who had
been present had written book In
which he said: "With such an army
Germany could annex France ia six
monthsw
happened to mention this fact TO
the kaiser shortly afterwards and his
! significant comment was:
"Six monthsl l should hope so. II
wouldn't take that longI"
The confident belief that when "Der
Teg''--''the day"-fnally arrived, Ger
many would crush her enemies and ac-
complish her object within a few
months at the outside was held not
only by the kaiser but by the people
generally and their conduct when the
war broke out clearly disclosed II.
When Gcrmany's man power was
mobilised. no one In Germany believed
II would be very long before they
would all be back and every effort was
mnde 10 make their few weeks of ac-
tive service as little irksome as pos
sibie. "Llebesgaben." gifts OF love.
consisting OF clothing and food of
every description, were forwarded TO
them by their relatives and friends In
the most lavish manner. although, of
course. at that time the German COM
missary was able 20 satisfy nil the sol
diers' requirements.
One OF my patients told me that she
had sent seventeen hundred pounds of
week. and when asked her why she
had been so generous she replied that
her chauffeur was a member OF the
regiment
The extent to which the country's
resources were squandered In those
early months Is evidenced by the fact
that the soldiers had such an excess
OF ill-fittlng wooden wearing apparel
that they used many OF the knitted nr-
ticles as earpieces and covers for their
horses. No one had the slightest idea |
that the time might come when the
whole nation would be clothed In pa
peri
AT this late day II can hardly be |
20 establish how thoroughly |
the Germans were for the |
war. but an incident which occurred In
the early days OF the conflict may not
be out of place TO show the self-satls-
ned and confident attitude which all
the Germans assumed.
Two officers sitting at a table In an
cafo shortly after the war
began overheard one OF several ladies
who were passing remark: Look ut
those officers sitting there drinking.
Why are they not at the front light
lngT" Che of the officers got up and,
the ladies'. said. "0ur
work was completed months ago. We
worked from early morning til late at
night ON plans which our armies are
now carrying out. II Is our time TO
rest"
The resistance that France would be
able 60 put up was always very lightly
estimated. and II the Intervention OF
England was nc all taken into consld-
sration, the comparatively small army
she could place IA the field was re-
garsled as but drop In the bucket com
pared with the well.tralned German
horde that was rendy to sweep across
he border. How could England's 10000
men cope with Won klaek's 100000 or
le hastily mobillzcd French armies re-
.lst the thoroughly prepared. equipped
Iua woll.dlsciplincd German warrlOrsi
II Is really not 10 be wondered at
haf the Germans firmly believed that
hey would bring the allies To their
.nceS within comparatively few
weeks and that the conquering Ger
nan armies would celebrate Sedan
Iuy. September .. In Paris. What ac-
uaily happened Is. OF course, too well
,nown here 10 require recital, but
.nox that the Germans were kept In
bsolute ignorance OF the marvellous
esistnncs the allies were able to put
10 ia those critical days OF August and
september. 1914. and TO this day the
majority OF Germans have not heard
Z the bnttle OF the Marnel
just after the English passed their
Ouscripfion saw l was called to see
he kaiser at the great army headquar-
ers, which at that time were at Pless.
Although the war had then lasted two {
r three tines as long as the Germans
nd expected. the kaiser masked the
oppression he must have felt by put
ing on bold front
How foolish for England to start )
description now" he declared. "She
links she can accomplish 10 a few
months what IL has taken Germany
undred years TO attain. Armies and {
Ulcers cannot be developed over night l
We have never stopped preparing since
he days Of Frederick the Greatr
Eyes, your majesty. but the North
rn states in our Civil war put In con- c
cription two years after the begin I
ing OF the war;" suggested. n
But just look how long your war '