Emmons County record., 1918-10-10

them cnn be fully understood only ny
those who know how much the kaiser
appreciates getting something for
nothing.
'Roumania wanted our gold for fOoi
products" he told me. 'They demand
ed pure gold and they set enormous
prices on their wares; but we needed
what they hnd to sell and we were
ready to pay even the outrageous
prices they demanded. And then they
foollshly declared war against us and
we got It all for nothingl When /
spoke to HIndenburg about the con-
templated campaign against Rouma-
MIA he said. This win be very inter-
esting campaign It was. We got all
we wanted and didn't have to pay q
penny for 1t"
The kaiser beamed all over as he
contemplated the results Of Rouma-
MAS entry In the war.
When the German troops entered
Tarnapol, Russia, Mt later time they
captured vast quantities Of American
made hospital supplies.
1--WE were Just figuring what this
seizure amounted to, and my army
doctors were strutting around as II
they owned the world" declared the
kaiser. "when one Of my officers was
approached by group of long-haired.
greasy Jews, who claimed that these
supplies belonged to them. They are
our private property; we bought them
and we should be compensated II you
seize them they contended. Did you
pay for themY my officer asked. No,
we didn't pay for them, but we gave
our notes. they replied. Then said
my officers. when you take up those
notes We'll pay for these stores; In
the meanwhile we'll just take them
We secured bandages, serums-every-
thing, In fact, that we needed SO very
badly, and we got them all for moth
ing!" 49,
did not know at that time that the
German army lacked medical supplies
but later saw paper banduges in use
I have previously referred to the
kaiser's defense of the use Of Zeppe
Inns against Paris, London and Other
nonrailitary cities. He claimed that Il
was proper to make war on civilians
because England was endeavoring II
starve Germany. On one occasion
pointed out to him that in 1870 thu
Germans had besieged Paris and hat
starved its population.
"The cases are entirely different,
he answered hastily. "Then we wer,
besieging city and the civilian pop
ulation had plenty Of opportunity Il
evacuate it before the siege began
England is besieging whole natlol
and trying to starve> my women ant
children, who have nothing to do will
war."
couldn't help thinking of tn
"whole nations" which had been ab
solutely crushed under the kaiser
heel-of Belgium, Servia and Poland
The kaiser never admitted that tn
destruction of the Lusitania was re
suit Of special instructions from hin
to the U-boat commander. but in dis
cussing the general subject of subma
rlne warfare he asked:
''What right have Americans to tax
passage on these vessels. anyway? ]
they came onto the battlefield the
would not expect US to stop firing
would they? Why should they eSpec
any greater protection when they er
ter the war, zone at sea?
Don't ever forget" he went on, /"
bullet from pistol would be enUug
to sink one of our U-boats. How en-
we stop and board vessels we encour
ter to ascertain whether they are net
tral and not carrying contraband?
what appears to be neutral shoul
in fact prove to be belligerent, or
: belligerent should iheave to in n
sponse to the command of one of 6u
submarines, how could we safely sen
. a boarding party over when q riff
. shot from the vessel in question woul
America persists in sending munltion
to the allies, there is but one thin
for us to do-snk the vessels"
When | suggested that while tn
= vulnerabiiity of the submarine III
houDtedly lessened its value in col
nection with the right Of search whic
belligerents have under internationi
law, still the law ought to be oil
Il served. the kaiser interrupted me ha
t tiy with the remark:
= international law There is n
;, such thing as international law an
!. morei"
: In that assertion, of course, lies tn
:, answer to all the questions which hav
!, arisen in connection with the condut
of the war. If the Germans recos
nized no international law but wer
> guided solely by their ideas of eEped
:. ency and the demands of "kultur
= then the whole course of the war b,
came perfectly clear. The use Of po
. sonous gas, the destruction of unfo
: tilted towns, the desecration {
: churches. the attacks on hospitals an
Red Cross units, the countless atroc
:. ties committed against civilians an
:, prisoners of wnr require no other e.