Evening star., 1918-08-06
CHAPTER XVI.
The German People.

NC 3C4naA = SoFASs
The oath of allegiance which every
German soldier and public ofhcial
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 ad-
dress to a body of recruits at Pots
dam:
Body and soul you belong to me.
If command you to shoot your
fathers and your mothers
YOU must follow my command with
out murmur.
The same thought is involved. OF
course, In the kaiser's invartable use
of the possessive pronoun, ,, mrs. .anIa per.
He always says my people, never
"the people" The worst feature about
it is that not only does the kaiser
proceed upon the assumption that he
owns the German people body and
soul" but the people themselves are
willing to admit it. The Germans are
the most willing vassals in the world.
Brad in Bone of Germans.
NenefatlOn ana awe Oh tnc hdiScf
are bred in the bone of the German.
Even among the socialists. who are
not nearly as opposed to the mon
archical idea as Is commonly sup
posed, there Is strong sentiment OF
loyalty toward the emperor. True.
the socialists are clamoring constant
ly for the reform vote and other po-
litical changes, but I doubt very much
whether-before the war. at any rate
any large percentage of socialists
would have seized the opportunity to
dethrone the kaiser had it presented
itself. Certainly any such attempt
would have been speedily smothered
without the aid of the military.
With the new conditions brought
about by the war and the manner in
which the war has been conducted,
the viewpoint of the people at large
is apt to undergo considerable
how their military leadership and
hunger FOR world dominion have re-
duced their country to ruin and deci-
mated their man power, there Is no
telling what reactions may occur.
If. however, the German people ever
decide to pull down the idol they
have Worshiped slavishly for so
long. it will be because of the sud
den realization not that they have
been worshiping an idol. but that
they have been worshiping an i'm
potent and unsuccessful idol.
Will Not Tolerate Defeat.
So long as the kaiser is able to up
hold Germany's place among the ma
tions of the world. so long will his
people uphold him. They will stand
behind him as long as he goes for
ward; they will repudiate him as
soon as he turns back. They will ac-
claim him in triumph, but will not
tolerate him in defeat. The kaiser
himself realizes that his tenure of
Office rests upon victory The war
was started for the sake of world do
minion; it has been continued solely
to save the kaiser.s throne.
Coming into such intimate and fire.
quent contact with the kaiser, I had
a wonderful opportunity to observe
the relations which existed between
him and his people.
The conduct of the people since the
war affords no safe criterion Of their
normal views and sentiments. The ac.
tiyity of government agents and the
power of the inspired press exerte6
such a great influence on the feelings
of the people that any outward sign.
of enthusiasm which they displayed
must be literally discounted. The
demonstrations in favor of the kaiser
and his leaders since the war have
been more or less artificial, the Grove
being worked up by government
agents and the press accounts have
invariably magn:fied them. Before the
war. however. whatever acclaim the
kaiser received from the public came
spontaneously. and was for that rea.
son of greater significance.
Kaiser Idol Of People.
called at my office great crowds gath.
cred outside to catch a. glimpse o,
him when he came out. They waited
patiently. sometimes for as long as al
hour. for the sake of greeting theil