The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-25

the German flag will fly over every
other flag"
Take II or Leave 1t.
IT am making you no promises
that cannot be redeemed, and they
shall be redeemed If you are now
prepared to make the sacrifices
which are necessary to secure the
position that our country must and
shall occupy in the world. He who
refuses to help is a traitor to the
fatherland; he who helps willingly
and generously will have his rich de-
ward"
ALI sounded, I admit, tempting and
alluring. and though there were
some who viewed rather obviously
the prospect of Germany being able
to conquer the world in a year, the
majority Of business and commercial
zoIlern war plans. Most of them
have since wished they had never
paid any attention to them.
According to the promises Of the
Hohenzollern, victory was to have
been achieved in December, 1915,
and the promises made to myself
and other commercial men in Ger
many when our money for the kali
ser's war chest was wanted were to
nave DGGn TSu6EIQeu.
But this is what happened in real
ity: In December, 1915. the chancel-
lor, Bethmann- Hollweg, began to
have interviews once more with
business men. The purpose of these
interviews again was to get more
money from them. Guarantees were
asked from rs business men in Ger
many. including myself, that they
would undertake to subscribe $500
100000 pounds. I declined to give
this guaranty; so did some others.
l was then favored with private in
terview with Bethmann- Hollweg's
if l declined to give the money !
would lose a contract I had with the
war office. But not only that was
threatened with the practical ruin Of
my business if I did not give the
guaranty.
Kaiser a BIaekmaiIer.
I described this demand as black
mail of the worst sort and refused
to guarantee a mark to the war
loan. Two months later / lost my
contract, and the greater part of my
business was taken over at a figure
that means confiscation. Moreover,
/ am not to get paid until after the
war, but as to receive per cent
on the purchase price. Every man
who declined to promise subser!p
ton to the amount he was asked has
been treated in the same manner.
The majority Of men, however,
preferred to pay to being ruined. and
so the Hohenzollerns in the main got
their way. But, apart from the
b:a cknailing of men who refused TO
pay any more money an the Hohen-
zollern war chest. let us see how the
HohenzoIlerns' promises are working
out. A circular was sent cut last
March to q large number of busi-
ness men by the foreign trade de-
partment which contained the fol-
lowing suggestion:
"It will be wise for employers who
have foreign trade interests TO em-
pIoy agents in foreign countries who
can pass themselves off as being of
French or English birth German
agents and travellers will probably
for some time after the war have
difficulty in doing business not only
in enemy countries, but in neutral
countries. There will undoubtedly
be a personal prejudice against Ger
mans that would probably make 1T
difficult for representatives OF Ger
man firms to do business. Although
this prejudice will not interfere with
German trade, as 1t will be merely
of a personal character. II will facii
tate trading transactions IL employ
ers will employ agents who can pass