Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-09-27

the kaiser almost invariably displayed
in his relations with me did not pre-
vent him on one occasion from show
ing his indignation when / touched him
upon what was evidently a very sore
point-the part that America was go
Ing to play in the war, although he al
ways claimed 70 be unperturbed about
the American situation.
He had pointed out that America at
that time had only 10000 men in
France and he believed that the q
boats would effectively prevent any
great addition 70 our forces abroad, If.
indeed, they ever left our shores
As a matter OF fact. however" he
added, your countryaen would be
very willing, no doubt. to fight for their
country TO protect 1t from invasion,
but don't believe you'll ever get many
Of them to leave home to fight abroad
America viii really be a very small
factor In the war, Davis"
Your majesty IS Understanding
the power Of America - I replied
He turned TO me Indignantly. and In
his most inperious manner exclaimed:
I'VE underestimate no one, We
know exactly what we are doingP'
How seriously he was mistaken In
this respect has since been sufficiently
proved.
No matter how gloomy the outlook
for Germany, the kaiser seldom show
ed concern II is true that whenever
things were going wrong. as when tia
Russians in the early part Of the war
were sweeping everything before them
In their advance on the Carpathians,
he and the rest Of the royal family
kept as far In the background as pos
sible, whereas when the German cause
was triumphant. as In the case OF the
offensive against Italy, he could not
make himself too conspicuous ar the
front
But even when Germany's adversely
was greatest, the kaiser always put On
q brave front AT such times 1 have
seen him stop in the street. after leav-
ing my Office, and before the hundreds
Of people waiting outside 10 greet him,
SYSTEMATICALLY put q cigarette in his
mouth and light it, that everyone might
notice how steady his hand was and
how little he was worried by the turn
things were taking.
At the same time, on one or two oc-
casions after the war started, noticed
that he acted differently when in the
dental chair than had been his custom
The kaiser once boosted TO me that
not building was erected in Germany,
not bridge built. not q street opened,
not a park laid out. but what the prof.
ect was first submitted TO him. He
kept posted on everything that was
going on, not only in Germany, but in
the world at large, and. as far as he
was able, he endeavored 10 have his
finger in every development OF world
wide importance. l cannot imagine
that he was less interested in what his
countrymen were doing in connection
with the war than he was in their
achievements in time OF peace
If he did not actually order the sink
ing OF the Lusitania, therefore, I am
convinced that he was thoroughly
aware Of the plan to blow il up and
sanctioned il. That he could have 4,
averted it II he had been prompted TO |
TO do so is clearly Indicated by another 4
incident which left g very deep i'm [
preston upon me.
I was informed by one Of the Ger /
man aviators that plans had been 1
made TO drop gas bombs on London 1
which contained a deadly gas which /
would penetrate the cellars Of houses
in which civilians were in the habit
of hiding during air raids.
Shortly before this hideous idea was
10 be put into effect the papers an
that bombs OF this character
had been dropped by the allies on
Baden-Baden. but that. fortunately.
they had fallen in a clump Of woods
in the center Of the town and had fail
ed to explode, which had given the
Germans an opportunity TO take them
apart and ascertain their nature.