Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-09-25
CHAPTER VI.
pemocracy's Worst Enemy.

Oem0crAeyS WORST Enemy.
The great military machine which
the kaiser had built up during the first
% years OF his reign "for the purpose
Of maintaining peace" was constantly
itching for war. There was feeling
among the nilitarists that while II
was all right for the kaiser to assume
the role Of the "Prince Of Peace" dur
Ing the period Of preparation, It was
possible to everyday the part. He so
frequently referred to the fact that
his sole purpose In maintaining large
army and navy was to maintain peace
that the war lords Of Germany began
to fear that perhaps he might mean it.
The murder of the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, the successor to the Aus
trian throne, and his wife by a Ser
bian on June %, 1914, gave Germany
the excuse for which she had been
waiting so long to start European
conflagration and found Austria as
anxious for war as her ally.
But even had Emperor Franz Joseph
shown reluctance to plunge his nation
into war and had Austria refused to
chastise Serbia for the murder Of the
Archduke doubt very much whether
the kaiser would have allowed that
event to have gone unavenged.
It touched him In one Of his most
vulnerable spots. The sanctity Of roy
atty is one Of his most cherished ideas.
BE felt sponsor for the monarchies
OF the world. as we feel sponsor for
the democracies. A thrust at q throne
was stab at the kaiser's heart and
with or without the cooperation Of
Austria I firmly believe he would have
gone to any lengths to have avenged
the crime Of Sarajevo.
II is true that the kaiser sent Z
message to the car Of Russia In
which he pointed ont that Austria
ought to be allowed to chastise Serbia
without interference from the other
European powers, remarking, 1--WE
princes must hold together" but there
can be no doubt that that was very
far from the outcome dearest to his
heart. If, indeed, the punishment Of
Serbia had been accomplished with
out war the kaiser would have been a
most disappointed man. and II Russia
had failed to mobilize her troops,
which gave Germany pretext for
crossing the Russian border, haven't
the slightest doubt that Germany
would have prodded Russia into war,
anyway, knowing that France would
follow. Der Tag (the day. had
come for which Germany had been
planning and plotting. and nothing on
earth could now interfere with the ex-
ecution Of the program.
How firmly the kaiser was welded
to the dynastic idea and how deeply
be abhorred the spirit Of democracy
was revealed throughout the whole
course Of his life, and in his CONVERSE
lions with me he frequently gave ex-
preston to views which disclosed how
he believed in the "divine
right Of kings"
saw him shortly after Wilson's
election in 1912.
"What will America ever accomplish
with a professor at its head7" he
asked, sneeringly. "Davis, your coun-
try will never be truly great until It
becomes monarchy"
On another occasion he sneered at
conditions in England.
'.Look at England today" he re-
marked. "She is ruled by Lloyd
George, a socialist! Why. England is
republic, as bad as France!
become of the king of Eng
and? One never hears Of him any
norei Why doesn't he assert him
selfw 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 the |
.hrone 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
title understands how loyal are my
)eople and now futile his efforts will
prove. They held meetings recently
i'll over the empire, In every city and
7illage, and showed their allegiance
o me in no uncertain way. and your
2reaident resolved the answer 1Q@