New-York tribune., 1918-11-10
Erstwhile Emperor of Ger
many Brought Whole
World Into War
Flattened All Lands
To Win Dominion
Uncrowned Ruler Of Teu-
tonic Empire Believed
Insane

Since the world began no man ever
bore such burden Of hate, as William
II, of Germany, nor labored so to ac-
cumulate it. Napoleon was held in
fearsome hatred, but the world was
smaller in Napoleon's day. InQrdi-
nately vain and heartlessly cruel, Will
lam III brought down the pillars of the
German Empire by the weight Of the
hate upon his shoulders.
If he is insane his lunatic cunning
deceived the world for thirty years, for
in the light of the confagration he
kindled the traits which characte rized
him in the last four years of his reign
may be traced to that June day in 1888
when he ascended the throne. 1t was a
peculiar incident of the enthronement
of the man who was to wreck the ma
tion that William II was never crowned,
either as emperor or king of russia, be-
cause of the jealousy of other German
states.
Ever Sought World Control
From the very outset of his career as
Kaiser. Williams conduct was that of
seeking to conciliate this people or
that, now brandishing his shining
sword, then seeking social reforms for
his own subjects and, again, posing as
never was convincing fgure-though
always bizarre.
He was ridden by an incredible con-
ceit and even when the hag whispered
in his fear that "the day" had come
and the ruthless, imperial armies were
unleashed, civilization was slow to
realize the nature of the beast that
had cast aside all masks and restraint.
1t was not strange. For years Will
lam had striven to deceive the world
that he might posses it. With all the
niceties of diplomacy he had protested
friendship for France, for Russia, for
Great Britain, and for the United
States-the powers whose hostility
might be dangerous. In June, 1914, the
Kaiser took complimentary command of
British squadron manoieuvring at
Kiel.
Cultivated U. s. Friendship
This country he cultivtted with ASST
duty. He sent Prince Henry osten-
sibly to cement the international
friendship. He presented a trophy for
the international yacht races in which
he professed so keen an interest. The
symbolic fashion in which the pewter
base of that imperial pledge of friend
ship was revealed still is fresh in the
minds of Americans
10 Americans he would be second
Teddy,' vigorous, masterful, but
democratic. To the British he por-
trayed himself as a sportsman ruler
with a keen insight into the needs of
his people and true hympathy for them
The French he attempted to conciliate
with sundry essays at delicate atten-
tons, such as the sending of flowers
for the bier of Marshal MacMahon.
His trumpery gifts to Turkish rulers
his pilgrimages in robe and turban
now stand revealed as shame no less
than his professions of friendship
and kindred interests with Christian
peoples.
Always in the Foreground
His facile genius was turned to ac.
count among his own subjects. Through
trickery similar to that which he exer-
clsed upon the world at large. but
sharpened by his acute perception OF
the German character, he made himself
the sole power in Germany Whether
it was arts, soldiery, hunting or phil
anthrophy that was to be the back
ground it was always William II who
had himself planted as the central
figure in the foreground in everv pic
ture which Germans were permitted to
contemplate.
He built up new Germany. Had
ne died before the last days of July
1914, Germans and outlanders. Chris
tlans and Moslems would have mourne d
him as the embodiment of civilized
progress.
But he did not die. He lived to
parade his secret ambition before the
eyes of mankind. He lived to see the
hatred of the world heaped upon him
he lived to have all his pretences
stripped from him by one nation after
another, by Christians and by Moslems
and. at last, by the Germans them
selves.
Before the bar of humanity William
was adjudged guilty of the creates,