Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-28
(From New York Times,)

CFrom New York Times.) !
In a court of law the internal evil
dence takes precedence over the ex-
ternal. Now, when the kaiser is
awaiting trial before the world court,
a short preliminary survey of his
W utterances will give a line on the
character n motives of the accused.
For the present purposes we need not
go beyond August, 1914, though his
previous expressions are, to say the
least, more picturesque. 1t vas long
before the war that he said; I'm Ger
many there is but one, master, and
that is l." whoever opposes my
will, him 1 will break I'VE Hohen-
zol!erns derive our power by the di-
rect imposition of divine authority"
n others Of the celebrated sword--
as the crossbow and the catapult.
Last June a Cologne publishing
house announced two fat volumes de-
voted exclusively to his messages and
speeches in the previous three years
n a half. Not all of these are
known here, but enough has come out
of Germany to furnish a basis for this
examination.
In the main. one discovers in these
~utterances two dominant thoughts:
confidence in ultimate victory under
the protection of "ourtold Cod" and
grief over the devastation caused by a
ruthless foe" The first was usually
accompanied, as recorded by the
Times correspondent in 1916, with "a
martial gesture which brought fierce
smiles from the soldiers who heard
him." The. second often had as an
accompaniment, in the words of the
Berlin Lokal-Anzeiger, "tears brim-
ming from his eloquent eyes,"
Another characteristic 10 "a ho
noted in the progress of these utter
ances. AS the years advanced a
gradual lessening of martial splendor
appeared in the war-like appeal
which finally reached a dilninuendo.
At the same time "the grief that lies
on my heart" swelled ever up and up
until, in September, 1918, in his letter
to the mayors Of the Rhine cities, he
broke into a veritable crescendo Of
crocodile tears as he lamented "the
despoiling of the fair fields of France
which she has wantonly forced us to
visit upon her."
That picture Of France wantonly
forcing Germany to despoil her is one
of the masterpieces Of the collection.
1t may be seriously doubted If any
French master Of the art ironio and
satiric-Anatole France himself
could surpass that.
" SAAASA S4A"A ~ &oStSo oI4A4lS
these NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
s~entimentality.
On August 80, 1914, he addressed
the troops in Belgium. Take Paris
or die" was his ultimatum.
Early in 1915 he addressed his
troops in Lorraine. saying: I'VE will
be grateful to God that we nave thus
far the honor Of being the instru-
ments in the divine judgment which
! has 0nna 1fnOn mir anaSn3ao <TAt ~
decision fall as it will. The hewing
will proceed further until our adver-
saries have had enough"
Later that same summer he spoke
in Alsace, as reported in the Cologne
Gazette, concluding with, 1.-The old
God Of battles directed. We were His
instruments and were proud Of It."
A year later he was ever more
boastful. On October rs, 1915, he
said to his soldiers on the somme:
1.-THE worlds history knows no paral-
lei to the greatness Of your deeds. For
centuries these battles of the Somme
will stand as a blazing model for the
c~onQuering will Of a united, people,
In you the German will finds express
sion under whatever circumstances to
prevent the enemy from p%rostrating
us to the ground, and to stand firm
against French insolence and British
l |E..-E 10 AVCu HkAO0k
it endures long and continues hard
the Lord of Hosts 10 with you. Those
at home have besought him and he
has inspired o with strength and
courage"
Yet. only a week later, on October
81, he addressed his then chancellor,
Bethmann Hollweg, saying: my dear
Bethmann: I have since been turn
ing our conversation over thoroughly
in my mind. It IL clear that the
peoples in the enemy countries who
are kept in hard endurance of the war
by lies and frauds and deluded by
fEhting and hatred possess no Nor
who are able or who have the moral
courage to speak the word which will
bring relief-to propose peace.
What il wanted is . moral deed to
free the world, including neutrals.
from the pressure which weighs upon
US all. For such q deed It 10 necessary
to find a ruler who q the conscience.
who feels that he IL responsible to
God, who has a heart for his own
people and for those who are his
enemies. who 10 Indifferent to any pos4,
sible wilful misintsrpretauon OF his
act, and Possesses the will to free the
world from its ~sufferings.
Il have the courage. Trusting in