The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-09-06

rlgnt or Kings"
saw him shortly after Wilson's
election in 1912.
what will America ever accomplish
with professor at its head?" he
asked, sneeringly. "Davis, your coun-
try VIII never be truly great until 1t
becomes monarchyr'
On another occasion he sneered at
conditions in England.
Look at England today" he re-
marked. "She is ruled by Lloyd
George, socialist! Why, England is
virtually republic, as bad as France {!
What's become of the king Of Eng
land? One never hears of him any
more! Why doesn't he assert him
selfT The tone OF disgust with which
he gave vent to these sentiments was
more significant. perhaps, than the
words used might imply.
"Your president Is trying to over
throw me and my family from tho
throne of Germany by his notes." he
commented bitterly. when I saw him
shortly after the publication Of the
presidents reply to the pope, "but he
little understands how loyal are my
people and now futile his efforts will
prove. They held meetings recently
all over the empire, in every city and
village, and showed their allegiance
to me In no uncertain way, and your
president received the answer from
my people that he deservedw | won
dered whether the kaiser vas unaware
, OF the fact that oil these meetings
had been inspired by the government
and their useful agent. the press, or
whether he was once again making
use of his histriOnic ability.
Although Germany is regarded as
the cradle Of socialism, to tn kaiser
1t was n cancer which YVES slowly eat
ing away the foundations OF his en-
pire and ne viewed It's progress with
b the direst misgivings.
Before the war he SteadfaStly re-
fused to receive n deputation Of So
cialists and never once gave an audi.
e1Ce IL the leaders uf the socialist
party In the reichstag, although the
hendS of committees OF all the other
politica' parties were at times re-
ceived In conference.
than n children's debating society, the
growth pnd increasing power Of the
socialistic party. which was constantly
clamOring for the reform vote, could
not be ignored, and no doubt had a
great deal to do with the hilitarists'
anxiety not to postpone the war too
long.
After mobilization was ordered,
however, the kaiser decided to rccede
from his position somewhat, and from
the balcony of the palace In Berlin, in
front of which an enormous crowd
had gathered, he declared significant
ly: 81 recognize no parties. We are
now all Germans"
If anyone imagines, however. that
his kowtowing to the socialists in this
Instance was evidence Of a permanent
change of heart, he little appreciates
how deeply rooted is the kaiser's abb
horrence of socialism and democracy.
Indeed, one of the principal things the
kaiser hoped to accomplish by prose-
cutting the war to n triumphant con-
clusion was the blow 1t would deal to
victory would make his army the idol
of the people and that. their monarch
would shine In the reflected glory of
their martial achievements. A sue
cessful war. he believed, would set So
cialism back hundred years.
Certain IT Is the war brought no
change in the kaiser's personal habits.
Even to curry favor with the socialis-
tic element he never unbent to the
slightest degree in his outward dis
play Of kingly attributes. In all his
career the German people had never
seen their kaiser other than In his
royal uniform, and at all military pa
rades or reviews he always rode a
white horse, that he might be most
conspicuous, and bore the royal mace
which his ancestors had carried centu-
ries before him. With the death
struggle between medieval monarchy
and democracy raging about him the
kaiser was determined to yield not a
little Of his prerOgatives. His auto
mobile still made Its coming known by
its distinctive "tade-tada- -ta-ta" and
the royal palaces were maintained In
all their accustomed pomp.
But while the kaiser's armies were
triumphant I'm the field. the principle
which he was combating was every
where gaining ground. On March is,
1917. the czar abdicated and Russia.
whose autOcratic form of government
had long been the envy OF the German
aristocracy, became republicl
"The downfall Of the Russian en-
pire was brought about by England