The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-10-11
CHAPTER v.
The Kaiser Defends German War
Methods,

The Kaiser Defends German War
Methods.
The kaiser was always very careful
about everything which might affect
his health, and even after the war
started, when his attention was natu-
rally occupied by many pressing prob
lens, he did not neglect his teeth, but
came to me as regularly as he had al
ways done.
Of this was very glad, because 1t
gave me an opportunity to draw the
kaiser out on many of the interesting
questions which the war suggested
and which / found him always ready
to discuss. Perhaps the fact that I
was an American led the kaiser to
greater lengths in his justification of
German war methods and measures
than he might otherwise have thought
necessary.
The first time I saw the kaiser after
the war started was about August 10,
1914. Between eleven and twelve
o'clock the night before, / had been
notified by telephone that the kaiser
would like me to attend him at the
Berlin palace the following morning
at nine o'clock. He was about to make
his first visit to the front and wanted
his teeth examined before he went.
The work I had to do for him was
nothing of a serious character and did
not occupy more than twenty minutes.
One of his Wallets stood by to give me
any assistance l might need, but left
the room when I was through.
"Have you been reading in the pa
pers, Davis" the kaiser asked when we
were alone, show our soldiers have
been treated by the Belgians?"
/ said l had not had chance to
read the papers that morning"
swell, you must certainly read them
They've been gouging out the eyes OF
our wounded and mutilating my men
horribly! They call it modern, civil
lized warfare. That's savageryi
hope your president is taking notice
of these atrocities"
OF course / was in no position tt
contradict the kaiser's assertions, al
was not in possession of any of the
facts, but learned afterward thai
four American newspaper correspond
ents had secured Germany from one
end of the country to the other in al
effort to run down these reports. The.
left no rumor uninvestigated, no mat
ter how far they had to travel to yer
ify it. When they had finally exhaust
ed every clue and followed every Leaf
they had not found a single case t
justify the charge the kaiser had mad
against the Belgians and which, o
course, the inspired German press con
tinued to report from day to day.
The object of these lies was to jus
tify the outrages which the German
were committing in their plan to tel
rorize the inhabitants of the countrie
they were overrunning. According
reports the activities of franc-tireur
in the occupied territories were me
by the Germans with the most bal
barrie punishments, crucifxion an
similar atrocities being very common
Undoubtedly the kaiser was aware {
what his soldiers were doing, and
defend their conduct he lent read
ear to the unfounded charges mad
against the Belgians.
81 have already framed meSsag
which l intend sending to your pres
dent regarding the use of dumdul
bullets by the Belgians and French
the kaiser went on. 1--WE have amp
proof to establish this charge not on
in the character of the wounds suffere
by my soldiers but in the shape Of u
used cartridges which we found in Il
captured forts"
Strangely enough, the kaiser SCI
off his protest to President WilsC
about the same day that Presidel
Poincare forwarded a similar prote
based upon the use of dumdum bulle
by the Germans.
Regarding the violation of Belgium
neutrality, the kaiser was able to c
fer no reasonable argument. The ia
that he was willing to pay Belgium f
permission to allow his armies to
through that country was apparent
sufficient justification in his eyes
taking by force what Belgium refus
to sell.
SLOW foolish of Belgium to have i
sisted us!'' he declared, in this CO
nection. HAD they consented to
us walk through we would have pa
for everything Not
hair of their heads would have be
touched and Belgium today would
in the same happy financial conditi
that Luxembourg is
At a subsequent interview we !
ferred to Belgium again, and the k
ser alleged that Japan had violat
the neutrality of China when she Sc
troops through Chinese territory
seize Kiao-Chau.
at is all right for the allies to
these things" he commented sarc;
tically, ''but when Germany does tht
England rises up in righteous ind
nation. The hypocrites! Why,
found papers in Brussels viii
showed conclusively that England 4
Belgium had a secret agreement
81