The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-23
| GERARD TALKS ON
| FATE OF KAISER AT
BROOKLYN SCHOOL
Germany May Not Be Able
to Pay Huge Indemnity
the Allied Countries
Demand
NO FIGHT-SPIRIT LEFT
Former Ambassador Does Not Be-
lieve German Former Ruler
Back
NO FIGHT-SPIR LEFT


dor to Germany, appeared yesterday
under the auspices of the Brooklyn
Institute Of Arts and Sciences, and
told a large audience that as he had
delivered :. lecture there last year
he thought it would be more inter
esting to them if they would ask
questions concerning Germany, and
he would answer them rather than
present prepared speech.
One Of the first questions asked OF
Mr.. Gerard was whether he believed
that Germany should be punished fol
invading Belgium, and if so, what
form the punishment should take. He
replied:
'SIn my opinion Germany should be
made pay every cent of damage she
caused. There was no pretense OF
right whatsoever in the invasion OF
eBlgium. On the 10th of August
1914, I asked the Kaiser why Belgium
was invaded, and he answered 80
strategical reasons AS a matter OF
fact, it was :, well thought out scheme
by the Kaiser and his military advis-
ers to invade Northern France BY
way Of Belgium"
'What il Gemnity should Germany
be made to pay?" Mr.. Gerard was
asked.
Il do not think she will be able to
pay as large an indemnity as the pub
llshed reports say the Allied powers
will ask hee to pay he replied. "Ger-
many depends for most of her reven-
ne on foreign trade and that is gone
and it viii take years to bring it back
again"
In reply to a question as to wheth-
er he thought that Germany should
be admitted to league of nations
Mr.. Gerard said that she should be
admitted oEly after years of repen-
tance for the misery and cruelty she
has infiicte on the world. Mr.. Ge-
rard was then asked if he thought
there was any fighting spirit left in
the German people
Il do not think so," he answered.
You can imagine how Inundated and
dlsplrited the German people must
feel after believing their soldiers
were s-uperlnen and to wake up and
ind out they were less. I can assure
you that the German people are thor
oughly sick of war"
MI tlerard said that he believed
the Kaiser was personally RESPONSE
Die Tor the war, and that he should
be placed On trial for his acts He
asserted that the Kaiser was respon-
slble for the deportation of men and
women from Belgium, the sinking of
the Lusltania and the cruelties prac-
used at prison camps He declared
that to send the Kaiser to st. Helena
would be to dignity him too mucl.
and that to kill him would be to
| make q martyr of him.
"Do you think the German people
are good people, but have been led
astray by their military leaders?" Mr.
Gerard was asked.
The German people have been gov
erned by the Hohenzollerns for MANY
years" he replied. "When Belgium,
was invaded, when women and Young
girls were deported, when the Lusi-
tanla was sunk, there was no voice
raised IN protest in Germany except
that OF Kari Liebknecht and Maxmil-
ian Harden. The Kaiser has always
beileved that he was divinely appoint
ed by God to rule the world and this
belief has been ingrained in the Ger
man people"
Mr. Gerard in reply to a question
SAID that he did not believe that the
German people would take the Kaiser
pack, because that even before the
war the Social Democrats were in the
majority in Germany but they had no
voice IN the Reichstag. Mr.. Gerard
SAID that there still remained in Ger
many the members of the landed aris-
tocracy who believe in the .Hohenzol-
IernS. IL