The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-10-11


to the dynastic idea and how deeply |
he abhorred the spirit of democracy I
was revealed throughout the whole |
course of his life, and In his converse
tlons with me he frequently gave ex-
preston to views which disclosed how |
thoroughly 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 It's head?" he
asked, sneeringly. ''Dayis, your coun-
try viii never be truly great until it
becomes a 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
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
self?" The tone of disgust with which
he gave vent to these sentiments was
more significant, perhaps, than the
words used might imply.
FYour president is trying to over
throw me and my family from the
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 deserved" won
dered whether the kaiser was unaware
of the fact that all these meeting:
had been inspired by the government
and their useful agent, the press, o.
: whether he was once again making
: use Of his histrionic ability.
] Although Germany is regarded a
2 the cradle of socialism, to the kaise
l it was cancer which was slowly eat
I ing away the foundations of his en-
s pire and he viewed its progress wit
3 the direst misgiyings.
Before the war he steadfastly n
e fused to receive a deputation Of 81
i cialists and never once gave an aud
/ ence to the leaders Of the social:
n party in the reichstag, although til
Il heads of committees of all the othe
} political parties wero at times r
) ceived in conference.
While the reichstag was little mol
% than a children's debating society, Il
y growth and increasing power Of Il
socialistic party, which was constant
he clamoring for the reform vote, cou
re not be ignored, and no doubt had
ct great deal to do with the militaris
g anxiety not to postpone the war t
re long.
IL After mobilization was order
;" however, the kaiser decided to rece
E. from his position somewhat, and fro
II the balcony of the palace in Berlin,
r front of which an enormous crov
Of had gathered, he declared signit1cal
ID ly: 81 recognize no parties. We q
i now all Germans"
"a If anyone imagines, however, th
< his kowtowing to the socialists in tt
instance was evidence Of permane
" change Of heart, he little appreciat
how deeply rooted is the kaiser's
horrence of socialism and democrat
Indeed, one of the principal things t
kaiser hoped to accomplish by pros
cutting the war to a triumphant co
d clusion was the how it would deal
st socialistic progress. He felt tn
Sc victory would make his army the i'd
ly of the people ana that their monar,
lg would shine in the reflected glory
II their martial achievements. A 81
ne cessful war, he believed, would set
r cialism back a hundred years.
as Certain it is the war brought
SO change in the kaiser's personal habi
az Even to curry favor with the social
se tic element he never unbent to {
&c slightest degree in his outward d
IN play of kingly attributes. In all
IL career the German people had nev
az seen their kaiser other than in
IS royal uniform, and at all military I
rddeS or reviews ne dl"dyS 'AouS
~ white horse, that he might be mo
en- conspicuous, and bore the royal ma
IN which HIS ancestors had carried CEN
as ries before him. With the dea
struggle between medieval monarc
oh and democracy raging about him
On kaiser was determined to yield not
TO title of his prerogatives. His au
he mobile still made its coming known
er its distinctive 'tade-tada-ta-ta" a
at the royal palaces were maintained
all their accustomed pomp.
st But while the kaiser's armies WI
~ triumphant in the field. the princi
Is. which he was combating was eve
es where gaining ground. On March
or 1917, the car abdicated and Russ
ne whose autocratic form of governm
nd had long been the envy OF the Germ
of aristocracy, became republic!
We "The downfall of the Russian {
ed pire was brought about by Engle
because she feared that the car Y
a about to make a separate peace"