The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-12-26

The kaiser was their idol. and they
were ready to suffer any inconvenience
for the sake of doing him honor.
1t was customary for classes of
school children to be taken to the Tier
garten from time to time to study the
groups of statues of the kaiser's an
cestors in the Sieges Alice. They usual
~ passed my house on their way to
their Object-lessOn in patriotism. Some
times, when the kaiser was at my
house, 1 have seen these children halt
ed in front of the place to await the
emperOr's departure. their teachers, no
doubt, feeling that the youngsters
would gain greater inspiration from
fleeing glimpse of the living mon
arch than they could possibly derive
from prolonged study of the statues
of his departed ancestors.
Most of my patients knew that the
kaiser visited me, and they never tired
of asking questions about him. 1t was
almost impossible for them to believe
that they were to have the privilege Of
kaiser had occupied.
Does the kaiser actually sit in this
very chair?" they would ask in incred-
ulOuS tones. Does he ever talk about
| anything? Please tell me what he said
the last time he was here"
A new German office girl whom had
engaged attracted the kaiser's atten-
ton, and he was gracious enough TO
| shake hands with her After he had
left the girl held out the hand the kai-
ser had graSped and said she wouldn't
wash it for a week
Just to think, this hand has grasped
the kaiSer'S hand When I tell my
family about it tonight they won't be
| lieve :"
The fact that the kaiser cOndescend-
ed to acknowledge the plaudits of his
people by a salute or wave of the
hand was cited as proof of his gra-
ciOusness and kindness; their god was
| smiling on them, and their gratif1ca-
ton was overwhelming.
To maintain this state of veneratiOn
was one Of the kaiser's principal con-
Germs. That was why he never ap-
peared in public except in full uniform
/ why he always rode a white horse,
while the rest of his staff rode dark
ones; why the pictures of him that
were allowed to be circulated always
! showed him to the very best advan-
tage; why every case of lese majestic
was punished with the utmost severity
why, in short, every possible precau-
ton was taken that the exalted ideas
which the public held regarding their
kaiser should never be undermined.
With this spirit of devotion dominat-
ing the people generally, it was only
| to be expected that they should have
stood sOlidly behind their emperor
when he sought TO achieve the one
ambition of his life-his dream of
world dominion.
| There is no doubt that the war was
planned and made possible by the mill
tarists and the junkers, and that every
effort was made to conceal from the
people its real purpose and ultimate
goal; but if anyone imagines that the
people at large would have held back
had they realized the truth, he fails to
understand the underlying spirit of the
/ Teutonic race.
The Germans are the most quarrel
some people in the world. It is mis-
leading to speak of the German mill.
tarists. All Germans are militaristS
The records of their civil courts tell
the story. In 1913 there were no less
than 100000 petty cases tried in the
courts. and as every case naturally in
vOlved at least two parties, the aston
ishing fact is disclosed that some 10,
100000 Germans, or One-seventh of the
entire population, appealed to the
courts In a single year,
The bellicOse character of the people
was evidenced in countless other ways
1t was the natural result of what
believe to be the most pronounced ma
tional shortening The
average German is the most selfish in
dividuaI in the world. He thinks o.
himself and his own comfort first, las
and all the time. have noticed it OF
the street cars. in the theaterS, in tn,
public highways, in the restaurants ant
hotels, where people cOngregate
Every one looked out for himself frs
and pushed aside those who stood II
his way In civil life. just as in a stat,
of war, the German practiced the prin
ciple that might makes right.
Chivalry, courtesy. magnanimity ar
as foreign to the German makeup a
they are characteristics of the French