The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-21


tween the two nations. Actually, it
was intended to Germanize Americans
to such an extent that their co-Opera-
ton might be relied upon in the event
of war for which Germany was sed-
ulously preparing.
It was believed that the exchange OF
professors would accomplish the Ger
man purpose in two ways: not only
could the professors the kaiser sent to
America be depended upon to sow Ger
man seed in American soil, but the
American professors who were sent 10
Berlin, it was hoped, could be so in
oculated with the German viewpoint
that when they returned to their ma
tive land they would disseminate 1t
among their associates and students.
Some time before the kaiser con-
ceived the scheme OF the Exchange
Professors, he sent his brother, Prince
Henry. to this country to draw the
two nations closer together and to in
still in the heart OF every child born
in America of German parents an
abiding love for the fatherland.
Just before the war broke out, he
was planning to send one OF his sons
mere with the same OBJECT.
He told me of his project and asked
me to which part of the United States
I thought he ought to send the prince.
''That depends, your majesty" re-
piled, upon the object Of the visit.
If the purpose is to meet American
society, 1 would recommend such
places as Newport in summer and
Palm Beach in winter. To come in
contact with our statesmen and diplo-
mats, Washington would naturally be
the most likely place to visit"
The kaiser thanked me for the in
formation but did not enter into fur
ther details as to the object he had
in mind or which son he had planned
to send across.
It was to curry favor with America
that the kaiser had his yacht Meteor
| built in our shipyards, and it is fact
that more American women were pre-
scented at the German court than those
of any other nation.
When he presented a statue Of
| Frederick the Great to this country,
in McKinley's administration. it ere
ated a great stir in congress What
could be less appropriate, it was ar
gued, than the statue of a monarch in
the capital of a republic? The statue
was not set up in McKinley's admins
! tratfon, but Roosevelt accepted it in
the interest OF diplomacy and had it
erected in front Of the Army building.
Seeing that his gift had had just the
opposite effect to that intended, the
kaiser reprimanded his ambassador
for not having interpreted American
sentiment more accurately.
A few days after the death of King
! Edward, Roosevelt arrived In Berlin.
Despite the fact that all Europe was
| in mourning, the kaiser arranged the
] most elaborate military dress review
ever given in honor of a private citizen
to celebrate Roose7elt's visit. The re-
| view was held in the large military
reservation near Berlin. More than
100000 soldiers passed in review be
fore the kaiser and his staff and their
honored guest
How far the kaiser would have gone
in his attentions TO Roosevelt had he
| not been in mourning it is impossible
| to say, but 1 don't believe he would
| have left anything undOne to show his
admiration for the American expires
fdent and to curry favor with this
country
But Roosevelt was not the only
American to whom the kaiser made
overtures. He was constantly inviting
American miIlionaires to pay him
Yachting visits at Kiel or wherever
else he happened to be.
He sat for a portrait by an Ameri
can painter, which was exhibited with
large collection of other American
works under the kaiser's auspices.
There was nothing that the kaiser
did not do in his efforts to ingratiatG
himself with this country in the hope
that he would reap his reward wheI
the great war he was anticipating
eventually broke out
Taken individually, these various in
cidents seem trivial enough, but
have every reason to know that thu
kaiser attached considerable impor
, lance to them. I know that there wa
a good deal OF chagrin in the TRADE!
he delivered to me against America 70
| her part in supplying munitions TO tn,
| aIlies-chagrin at the thought Chat tn
seed he had sown in America hat
failed to bring forth better fruit
. When we finally entered the war ant
he realized that all his carefully nur
: tured plans of years had availed hin
: naught, he could not restrain his bit
2 terness nor conceal his disappoint
: ment.
5 "An my efforts to show my friend
: ship for America-exchanging prOfes
8 sors with your colleges, sending m
S brother in your country. all-al 70
i nothing!" he exclaimed, disgustedly
s after we had entered the war.
a On another occasion he showed eve
S more clearly how far America had fal
d len short of his expectations:
ssWhat has become Of those nc
Americans who used to visit me wit
their yachts at Kiel and come to m
9 entertainments in Berlin?' he asked
> sarcastieally. Now that we haV
$ England involved, why aren't the
+ utilizing the opportunity to serve an
E to make their own country great? D
! they think I put myself out to entel
} tain them because loved them7
z zs-,-,,~&,<7 nth xIa<, xrhoIo AnC1,