Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-06-13
The Pious
Devil
r.
By KATE JORDAN
OF The Vl9lGnfes

had been preparing for fifty years, we
have had him described, quoted, pho
tographed by the highest men of many
countries-men of honor, whose word
cannot be questioned.
His vanity is colossal-something to
gibe at. Raymond Hitchcock described
it when, as reason for his having
made the war, he explained that "the
kaiser was all dressed up with no.
where to CO." He is always dressed
up" either as an hussar, an admiral.
as this, or that, and lately, even as a
Turk. Yes, William Hohenzollern is
"crazy about himself" He likes the
way he carries the buds"
With vanity there is always arro-
gance; and he is arrogant. His mus
tache ends alone are damning evil
denee of that. The points point up at
him. 1t is evident, too in his addic-
ton to posing on horse-he can look
down, and ride over anything on foot.
With vanity and arrogance, treach-
cry makes a good third. In his own
mind, the first two traits set him apart,
a glorified unit, law unto himself.
What is, therefore, just common de-
cency to other men has no meaning for
one who is law. Because of this he
can break his word, lie, cheat, steal,
murder at every turn of the game-as
he has done from the first moment.
These three traits could not exist
without breeding cruelty. The German
insensibility to suffering in others
looms large in the "all-highest." In
sheer savagery he has outdone the
most barbarous Turk that ever lived.
He has directed the slaughter of mil
lions of men. And not only of his enc
mies-make no mistake of thatl He
has directed the slaughter Of his own
peasant and artisan armies with as
untrembling a finger. 1t might be
well for the Germans In this country
who secretly yearn over the father
land to think of this: The German
kaiser does not spare his people. DE
murders his own-as a cat eats its own
when the idea seems good for aristo-
cratic and Hohenzollern reasons.
Vanity, arrogance, treachery and
cruelty! Surely these are enough Of
hell to exist in one man. But there is
another, and it reeks from the brew
this is hypocrisy.
Yes, this man Of lies and torn
treaties, whose armies were directed
to treat the betrayed Belgians as by
enas treat the graves they pull to
pieces for bones this killer of babes I;
this murderer of the wounded-is
piousl If one were to believe him,
each of his horrors has had Gods au-
diting.
During this last year he has grown
very old and white of hair. Some late
photographs of him that have reached
this country show no arrogance at all.
No, he is now markedly sanctimonious
and very, very sad. No wonder. He
and God-have not had the easy
time that he expected.
You see he had the restaurant pick
ed out and the date set for his tri-
umphal dinner in Paris around Christ
mas, 1914. There was reason for his
feeling so sure. When he started
across Belgium, killing and burning
all in his path, he was most hideously
prepared for the fight he knew he
would meet in France.
Perhaps it is not generally known
just how prepared he was in one
sided infamy. From sure authority
/ have recently read of the tons of
barbed wire, 10 years in the making,
that went with those first troops |;
that every German soldier as he took
his first step over the Belgian frontier
with Paris as his goal, had in his kit
tubes of liquid gas and a perfectly
constructed gas mask, also years and
years In the making. When the kaiser
ruminated on the liquid gas that was
to come as a surprise upon his de-
fenseless enemies while his own men
were supermen, immune, is 1t any
wonder that the points of his mustache
waggled in sweet, slow smile? Any
wonder that he saw himself in Paris
by Christmas, eating sauerkraut pre-
pared by French chef?
Well, in spite of all that he has
brought to make solid his loathsome
ambition, he is not in Paris. He is in
Berlin, or near it, and glad to stay
there.
He hadn't counted on England-and
England's navy bottled up his ports
her millions poured over the channel
after him.
He was sure Italy would hold to a
feeble sort of promise to back him up
if he were good. Italy thought him
rotten bad and so she went after him.
He wasn't afraid of America. Amer
lea was too busy making money, too
happy in selfishness, and luxury, and
Incidence. America would never fight.
She was like an overfed cat asleep in
the sun. But from the time he sank
the Lusitania America has really been
at war with him in spirit, as she is
now in reality. When she did wake up
she put her head under the pump and
the cold water made her vision SO