The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-02-26
Prophecy and Bitter Attack on
William II in Suppressed
Volume of Memoirs.
CALLS KAISER Vain And WEAK
Statesman Said Terrible Catastrophe
Would Hit All the Nations OF
Europe-Attempts Made to Pre-
Vent Publication Of Book.

London.-"I see great perils arising
In Germany, and, indeed, for the whole
of Europe. The longer the catastrophe
Is in coming the more terrible 1t Will
be-"
The prophecy comes from the long
suppressed third volume of Prince
Bismarck's memoirs, which have just
been made public In Germany. despite
the opposition of the kaiser and his
friends. Bismarck wrote the story of
his life in three volumes. entitled,
Thoughts and Reflections" the first
two volumes being the story of his
rise to power and the third the story
Of the Iron Chancellor's dismissal by
William III, asboy monarch, whom he
characterizes as dreamy and vain"
= The first two volumes were pub
lished, but the third volume. although
In print, was never released to the
German people because the men who
surrounded the kaiser feared scan-
dial would result. 1t has ut last ap-
peared, after legal battle for Its sup
preston, and summary and extracts
of the book have been printed In the
Vossische Post. Articles summarizing
the volume also have appeared In the
English press.
Called William u Vain and Weak.
Bismarck, In his analysis Of William
II. depicts him as having Frederick
rs craving for show; Frederick VIII
liam It's love for stall soldier fell
lows" Frederick the Greats thirst for
glory; Frederick William Tvs dreami-
ness and weakness, and Frederick HIS
vanity and sensitiveness.
: "Only from one Of his ancestors did
he inherit nothing-from his grand
father, william T." says the Iron
Chancellor. who served both monarchs.
Such uncompllmentary sketches, to-
gether with personal letters from the
kaiser which he did not wish to have
made public, caused the imperial ban
on the book.
The first chapter Of the volume tells
Of the admiration which the young
Prince William at first felt for the vet
eran statesman, who was then Inn
perial chancellor. He spoke of Bis
marck's magnificent work." Of his
love of the fatherland and his building
up Of the empire. and uttered the
hope tt at Bismarck would continue to
guard and protect his country.
Hero Worship Short-Lived.
This attitude Of hero worship on the
part Of the prince did not last long,
however. The men were basically diff
ferent, and.these differences were soon
manifested. A clergyman named
Stocker had made himself conspicuous
as an Hti-Semitic. and Bismarck and
william quarreled over him. William
defended the man. sshile the chan
cellor declared him doubly dangerous,
for "he is a political clergyman and a
clerical politician"
The breach widened. and 1t is evil
dent that Prince Williams admiration
for Bismarck, IL ever sincere. soon
cooled. Even In the yeafeDefore VIII
liam died the prince drew up proc
lamation laying down the attitude
which he intended to pursue once he
became kaiser. II said that he should
deliberate with his own colleagues"
the higher German rulers and princes,
before he gave them their orders. and
that these colleagues" must not be
allowed to grow too overbearing. AS
president Of the German bund the
kaiser was only the first among equals.
and had no ground for adopting this
egoistic and dominant attitude. He
Insisted. however, that this decree
should be sealed up and sent to the
various Prussian embassies and lega-
ttons throughout the empire. there to
be promulgated on his coronation dav
so that all might know his wishes and
be advised Of what he proposed to do.
even before he began to command.
Burn Document, Says Bismarck.
Before. doing %, however, he. sent