The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-10-04

himself with this country in the hope
that he would reap his reward when
the great war he was anticipating
eventually broke out.
Taken individually, these various in
cidents seem trivial enough, but /
have every reason to know that the
kaiser attached considerable impor-
lance to them. know that there was
good deal of chagrin In the TRADES
he delivered to me against America for
her part in supplying munitions to the
allies-chagrin at the thought that the
seed he had sown in America had
failed TO bring forth better fruit.
When we finally entered the war and
he realized that all his carefully nur-
tured plans Of years had availed him
naught, he could not restrain his bit
terness nor conceal his disappoint.
ment-
"All my efforts to show my friend
ship for America-exchanging profess
sors with your colleges, sending my
brother In your country, all-all for
nothingl" he exclaimed, disgustedly,
after we had entered the war.
On another occasion he showed even
more clearly how far America had fall
len short Of his expectations:
what has become OF those rich
Americans who used to visit me with
their yachts at Kiel and come to my
entertainments in Berlin?" he asked,
sarcastically. Now that we have
England involved, why aren't they
utilizing the opportunity to serve and
TO make their own country great7 Do
they think ] put myself out to enter
tain them because loved them7 I
am disguised with the whole Anglo
Saxon race!"
The kaiser couldn't understand why
the United States did not seize both
Canada and Mexico. Apparently, from
the way he talked from time to time,
If he had been sitting in the White
House he would have grabbed the en-
tire Western Hemisphere.
That the kaiser followed American
politics very closely, especially after
the war broke out, was very natural.
The fact that there was a great Ger
man-American vote in this country
was not overlooked in Potsdam, and ]
| haven't the slightest doubt the kaiser
| imagined that he could exert consider.
able influence in our elections through
his emissaries in this country.
returned to Berlin late in October
of that year. Within a day or two
after my arrival received telephone
message from the Reichskanzler von
Bethmann-Hollweg to the effect that
the kaiser had sent him word Of my
return and that he would like me tc
call at his palace either that noon Of
at four p. m.
was ushered into a very large room
in the corner of which was business
like looking fat-topped desk, but whicl
was otherwise deliberately furnished
The reichskanzler. a tall, broad-shoul
dered, handsome specimen of a man
came over to me and, putting his arm
In mine. walked me to a seat besid,
the desk. He asked me what woulC
smoke, and upon my taking a cigar
cite, he did likewise.
1.-THE kaiser's been telling me, doc
tor" he said, 'of your recent visit Il
America, and would Ike to ask YOU
few questions"
I said that was always glad to tall
Of America. Indeed, was particular
ly glad of the opportunity to speal
with the prime minister of Germany a
that time.
Then followed a bewildering success
sion of questions, the purpose o,
which was not at all clear TO me. VIZ
had a peculiar conversation-half il
German, half in English. The reichs
kanzler did not speak English partic
ularly well.
"How are things in American h
asked. did you have any opportu
nifty to gauge the political situation
Who do you think will be the mex
president? Do you think that Ameri
cans are opposed to peace becaus'
that would end their chance TO max,
money out Of the war? Are you
people so mercenary that they woull
like to see the war prolonged for th'
sake of the money they can make on
of itT'
"No, your excellency," I replied
you are quite wrong il you imagin,
that my countrymen would like to pro
long the war. for the sake of war
profits. That is very far from bein,
the case. On the contrary, the coun
try at large is anxious for peace"
Don't forget your people are max
ing lot of money out of this war,
the reichskanzler persisted. 'sThe!
are becoming very rich. They vii
soon have all the gold in the world
Putting an end TO the war would to
great extent end American opportuni
ties for making money on this enor
nous scale"
THAT may be all true" I replied
but fortunately my countrymen thinl
more Of the blessings OF peace anC
liberty than they do OF war and profits
and the sooner peace can be brough
about on a basis which will have