The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-12-26
CHAPTER XIV.
The Kaiser and Things American.

The Kaiser and Things American.
Among the Germans generally there
is surprising degree of ignorance re-
garding conditions in America. The
untraveled German has but the vaguest
ideas concerning our people and our
institutions. l have had patients of
intelligence and education ask me how
we are abe to cope with the Indians.
In view of the extent of German emf
grafton to America and the vast vol
ume of commercial transactions be-
tween the two countries, it is almost
unbelievable that such erroneous no
tons should prevail in these enlight-
.ened days, but they do.
This fact partially serves to explain
how easy it was for the kaiser and his
inspired press to pull the wool over
the peoples eyes regarding the unim-
pOrtance of Americas entry into the
war. 1t doesn't explain at all, how
ever. how completely the kaiser him
self underestimate US and our power,
for doubt whether there is any for
eigner living, who has never visited
America who knows more about our
country than the German emperor. In
deed, he was more familiar with many
Of our problems than many OF our
cOuntrymen, and he frequently reveal
ed to me in the course of our CONVEX
satiOns how thoroughly posted he was
on American conditions.
Long before the subject OF forest
conservation was taken up seriously in
this country, the kaiser pointed out to
me what a great mistake we were
making in not devoting more atten-
ton TO IT.
Gan you tell me. Davis, why you
have so many forest fires in your coun-
try?" he asked, after a particularly
destructive conflagration In the West
had destroyed many acres of timber.
'How does 1t happen?"
explained to him that most of the
forest fires came from sparks from
locomotives. Careless lumbermen al
lowed the branches which they Topped
off the trees to remain on the ground
and when they were ignited by sparks
the fire sometimes spread to the uncut
timber AS the. facilities for extin
gushing fire in these unpOpulated re-
gions were practically nil and the eli
mate made the timber particularly in
f1ammable, these fires usually attained
serious dimensions.
THAT points out again the inefh
cheney of your form of government" ht
commented. ''You have laws reQuirin:
the railways to use appliances to ar
rest the sparks from their engines
haven't you? Why don't you enforc'
them2 YOur DeODIe don't seem n
realize that it takes years to grow
tree. Because you have more than yol
need today, you make no preparation
for tomorrow. For every tree Gu
down another should be planted.
you don't adopt some such measure tn
time will surely come when Americ;
will have to turn to Germany for tim
Der"
The kaiser was harsh critic of on
election system. The idea Of q four
year term for the president was nat
uralIy repugnant to one who held sue
exalted notions as to the rights O
rulers. It would be too much to e1
oect the HohenzoIlern mind to approx
of q constitution which provided fo
the rulers return to private life afte
a period of four years at the head {
the government.
He declared that with a constar
change of administration it was quit
out of the question for this countT
to fellow any definite policy. It wa
had enough even So far as INTERIM
affairs were concerned, he said, bI
such a system made It impossible