The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-09-19
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newsp6-
per Syndicate)
CHAPTER X.

Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newsps-
per Syndicate)
CHAPTER x.
The kaiser's Appraisal Of Public Men.
No one ever speaks to the kaiser UNI
til addressed. As that monarch's opin-
ions on most subjects are firmly fixed
and he win stand no opposition, any
erroneous idea he may entertain Is
very apt to remain with him. His ad-
visers were apt to leave him in errol
rather than arouse his ire by attempt
ing to set him right. But for the fact
that he was very fond Of asking innu-
merable questions, his store Of infor-
nation might have been extremely
scanty.
In the course of my conversations
with him he frequently expressed his
views of men who were in the public
eye. Upon what basis they were
founded he did not always srlighten
me, but even when knew them to be
erroneous 1 realized 1t was useless to
| try to change them and did not often
take issue with him. When / did his
eyes would flash fire, but l had ex-
pected that and I continued just the
same
The kaiser always seemed to take
| particular interest in American at
| fairs, and while he professed to de-
spise our form of government he
watched very carefully the careers OF
| our public men. It is not unlikely that
] he imagined, as i have pointed out
elseshere in these pages, that he could
| influence our elections by swinging
| the German-American vote in favor OF
the candidate he preferred. and he
made study of our public men In
order that he might know which OF
| them would be more desirable In office
from the German viewpoint
When Mr.. Wilson was nominated for
the presidency, the kaiser was quite
| positive that he wouldn't be elected.
Perhaps the fact that Mr.. Roosevelt,
for whom at that time the kaiser had
the greatest admiration, was one Of
| Mr.. Wilson's rivals, blinded him to the
| strength which elected Wilson, but the
| fact that the latter had had little ex-
| perience in international politics I'M
/ fitted him, in the kaiser's estimation,
| for the important Office for which he
was running.
| saw the kaiser shortly after Mr..
| Wilson's election.
81 am very much surprised at the
result of your election. he declared.
81 didn't think your people would be
so foolish as to elect college profes-
sor as president What does a profess
sor know about International politics
and diplomatic affairs?"
/ I haven't the slightest doubt that
i the kaiser pictured our president as
counterpart Of the typical German
professor Flooding, impractical, un-
ambitious bookworm with no hope or
desire of ever earning more than $1,000
| year and no yearning for public ac-
claim, a recluse, absent-minded and
self-centered, who spent the midnight
i oil porting over musty volumes and
paid little or no attention to what was
| going on around him! Such q man,
the kaiser undoubtedly believed, the
United States had elected as its chief
executive and his surprise was more
When Wilson sent 5000 men to Vera
Cruz the kaiser felt that he had ex-
ceeded his rights.
'sWhat right has Wilson to mix in
the internal affairs of Mexico?' he
asked. "Why doesn't he allow them to
fight it out among themselves. 1t is
their affair, not his ~, Germany had
many financial interests in Mexico and
looked with cisfavor upon any move
we made in that direction.
| When, however, the war in Europe
started the kaiser made every effort
| to have America mix in international
affairs provided we fought on her side.
When / saw him just after the war
started he said we ought to seize the
opportunity to annex Canada and
| Mexico
Cant your president see the won
derfu opportunity now for combin-
ing with us and crushing Englandr
he asked. with our fleet on one side
and Americas on the other we could
destroy England's sea power. This ii
Americas great opportunity to domi-
1
president must see his chance to take
! Canada and Mexicop
j AS the war progressed and reports
reached the kaiser of our increased
shipments of munitions to the allies,
J the kaiser's Impotence with Wilson be.
came more difficult to repress. and
! there was hardly an interview had
with him in which he did not give
vent to his feelings in that connec
ton.
MY officers are becoming so In
censed at Americas attitude" he told
me, ..it will be impossible for me Il
, restrain them much longer"
| And when, on another occasion, b
, accused Mr. Wilson Of Discriminating