American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-10-22

TALL OF l3lO, after a Visit TO the United
States, the kaiser was very anxious TO
ascertain from me just how America
felt towards the war.
l told him that before the sinking Of
the L%usitania American opinion had
been divided. There had been many
who were strongly pro-ally. there had
been others who were openly pro-
German and there had been still 9TH
ers who maintained an absolutely neu-
tral attitude. After the Lusitania
tragedy. however, there had been a
distinct change in public feeling, l told
him, practically the whole country
having become decidedly anti-German.
perhaps If the U-boat commander
had known so many women and chill
dren were on board" was the kaiser's
only comment, she might not have sent
forth the torpedo which sent the vessel
to the bottom. but what he was think
ing Of most, of course, vas the 5000
tons Of ammunition on board which
were destined to slaughter my peo-
plel"
OF course the kaiser knew that IL
the U-boat commanders orders were
to sink the Lusitania, disobedience
upon his part would have left but one
purse open for him: suicide. If, on
the other hand, the kaiser ear TO
intimate that the U-boat commander
sank the Lusitania on his own initia-
tive or without special instructions
from hfc cnnnr4ara tho foot Erf11 rn.
mains that the kaiser could undOubt-
eddy have prevented the tragedy and
didn't.
But II there can be any doubt as to
the kaiser's direct responsibility for
the sinking Of the Lusitania, certain 1,
is that he fully approved, openly de-
Tended and even exulted in the murder
Of and children by Zeppelin
raids on London, Manchester. Liver
pool and other non-military cities an6
towns.
England expects to starve my
women and children to death" be de
clared to me early in the war-lonl
before we in Germany had begun t
feel the slightest effect Of the dimin
ishing food supply, but our Zeppelin.
will give their women and children
taste Of war, too. Confound them
They sit on their island and try 4
starve US; we will give them a taste o
what war isv'
This was the mar whose variou
acts Of consideration towards me
/ whose talents aud personal charm:
had made such a favorable impressio
/ upon me- How trivial and incense
quential they all seemed now! Cleal
ly, they were all a part Of the role b
had been playing for years. While h
was %outwardly displaying all the eai
: marks of a gentle character, he wa
inwardly plotting to dominate tn
4 world. For twenty-five years he maiI
,, tanned the peace of Europe, he fr'
5 quently boosted. He maintained peac
: just long enough TO complete his hn'
e preparations for the wickedest wa
q that was ever waged!
And yet strangely enough, even afte
the war had revealed the kaiser TO n
( in his true colors and had shown hill
S TO be capable Of deeds which I shoul
e have thought were foreign 10 his n
J ture, his presence always had a mo-
+ remarkable effect upon me.
I have a vivid mental impression
d him now as I write. he Is standing
the center of my room. drawn up to b
5 full height, his shoulders thrown bac
o his left hand upon the hilt Of b
d sword and his right emphasizing n
e remarks, protesting in the most ear
est manner that IL was not he who WI
responsible for the war and all /
Il horrors. but hat it had come up'
the world despite all he had done
prevent it. His ready, well-chos0
words entrance me. I feel that Ii
d man must be telling me the truth al
1 am ready to believe that before I
{ stands the most unjustly judged m.
IT in the world.
And then he shakes my hand in fal
r well and is driven away, and as "a
D. at the spot where he stood. there CON
n before my eyes the desolation Of b
IS GUM. the tragedy Of the Lusitania, {
ID d%espoliation of France and Poland, I
W destruction Of women and children
ST London and Paris and a thousand a
ir n other ~atrOcious deeds which pc
the kaiser's fair words. and reall
ut that 1 have been talking TO the wort'
most finished actor and have simI
been bewitched by the power OF
IS personal magnetism.
q