The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-09-26
CHAPTER 4.

The kaiser's Appraisal Of Public Men.
No n eve speaks to the kaiser I'M
til addressed. As that monarch's opin-
ions on most subjects are firmly fixed
ana he will stand no opposition, any
erroneous idea he may entertain Is
very apt to remain with him. His ad-
visers yer apt to leave him in errol
rather than arouse his ire by attempt
ing to set him right. But for the fact
that he was very fond of asking innu-
merable questions, his store Of infor-
nation might have been extremely
scanty.
In the purse Of my conversations
with him he frequently expressed his
views OF men who were in the public
eye. Upon what basis they were
founded he did not always enlighten
me, but even when I knew them to be
erroneous I realized it wal useless to
try to change them and I did not often
take issue with him. When I did his
eyes would flash fire, but I had e1-
pected that and I continued just the
same. .
The kaiser always seemed to take
a particular interest in American at
fairs, and while he professed to de-
spise our form Of government he
watched very carefully the careers Of
our public men. It is not unlikely that
he imagined, as I have pointed out
elsewhere in these pages, that he could
influence our elections by swinging
the German.American vote in favor Of
the candidate he preferred, and he
made a study Of our public men In
order that he might know which Of
them would be more desirable In office
from the German viewpoint.
When Mr.. Wilson was nominated for
the presidency, the kaiser was quite
positive that he wouldn't be elected.
Perhaps the fact that Mr.. Roosevelt,
for whom at that time the kaiser had
the greatest admiration, was n Of
Mr.. Wilson's rivals, blinded him to the
strength which elected Wilson, but the
fact that the latter had had little ex-
perience in international politics un-
fitted him, in the kaiser's estimation.
for the important Office for which he
was running.
I saw the kaiser shortly after MI.
Wilson's election.
II am very much surprised at the
result Of your election" he declared.
II didn't think your people would be
30 foolish as to elect a college profess
sor as president. What does a profess
sor know about international politics
and diplomatic affairsT
I haven't the slightest doubt that
the kaiser pictured q president as
q counterpart Of the typical German
professor Flooding, impractical, un-
ambitious bookworm with no hope or
desire Of ever earning more than $1,000
a year and no yearning for public ac-
claim, q recluse, absent-minded and
self-centered, who spent the midnight
oil porting owe musty volumes and
paid little or no attention to what was
going on around himl Such a man,
the kaiser undoubtedly believed, the
United States had elected as its chief
executive and his surprise was more
or less natural In those circumstances
When Wilson sent 5000 men to Vera
Cruz the kaiser felt that he had eG-
ceeded his rights.
"What right has Wilson 10 mix IN
the internal affairs Of Mex1c0T he
asked. why doesn't he allow them to
fight It out among themselves. It 10
their affair, not hist" Germany had
many financial interests In Mexico and
looked with disfavor upon any move
we made IN that direction.
When, however, the wal In Europe
started the kaiser made every effort
20 have America mix IN international
anaiE4- provided We fought on her hide.
Wien I saw him Jjust after tho wae
st1fted 10 said We ought DO seise tn
opportunity - Mnsx Oauads ~
81a1eo. sa.. 9& s Il
sCn4 IN - ~ -