Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-09-27
GOOD ENGLISH

0OOD LtsuLkUAE
The Chicago Daily News makes a
remarkable graphic editorial announce
ment of its publication this week of
the German ex-Kaiser's Own Story of
the War. 1t is an unusually fine lit
erary performance. Here it is:
The ex-kaiser's Own Story
1.-The sacrifice was in vain"-Thus
| the ex-kaiser of Germany in his amaz-
/ ing autobiography sums up the re-
suits of his abdication.
This is only one of the innumerable
sentenious judgements passed upon
| great events, upon anointed rulers
powerful statesmen and military com
manners by the leading participant in
political affairs of Europe for a period
of thirty crowded years.
The Daily News has co-operated in
the negotiations for the purchase of
| the American publication rights to the
ex-kaiser's own story and takes pleas
ure in announcing that it has the ex-
elusive privilege of newspaper serial
publication in Chicago and the sur
rounding territory.
/ Not since Napoleon, exiled on st.
Helena, dictated his autobiography has
there been written a story of a career
| that can compare in importance with
/ the story told by the er-emperor now
| in exile at Doom. AS a historic mar
rative it is of absorbing interest. Yet
| like Napoleon's it is replete with ex-
/ tFaordinary misstatements and weird
misconceptions. 1t is, indeed, a piece
] of self-revelation that must make it
| a fascinating study for students of the
! mentality of men who have exercised
/ large authority
Here for the first time the world is
given an adequate opportunity to dis
cover the mental processes, the DOM
mating opinions and the accepted NOR
al guides to action that made William
| of Germany the overshadowing figure
| in European affairs during three spa
cious decades filled with significant
events.
What did William think of Bismark,
his imperial grandfather's iron chan
cellor, whose services he so soon dis
pensed with after he succeeded to the
royal and imperial throne of the Hob
enzollerns William tells you at the
| beginning of his memoirs. And start
| ing at that turning point in the life of
great and virile nation, he proceeds
to relate his version of the develop
ments that slowly put implacably di-
vided Europe into two powerful arm
ed camps and so prepared it for the
day when the nations, so aligned, sud-
denly grappled in titanic war.
The recital gives in long success
sion of lightninglike flashes the vivid
pictures of the mind of the crowned
war lord who at a great moment of
crisis spoke the fateful word that set
his perfectly appointed armies march,
| ing against Russiaand against France.
| To read this recital covering the years
of his rule is to watch the tension
grow and grow until that word was
spoken. Thus is gained an intimate
picture of the mentality of the ruler
who precipitated thesconflict that in
volved the whole world in its perils
and losses and that ended in his own
abdication and fight.
The story of that abdication as told
| by William constitutes a narrative of
peculiar interest. The most powerful
of the rulers of earth is seen standing
dumfounded, abashed, alone as if with
out friend. The hesitations, the sud
den RACES, the crushing disillusion-
ment of the imperial sacrifice, sternly
warned by his chancellor to stay away
from his armies, to stay away from
the country over which he had ruled
SO many years, an Ishmaelite invited
to flee for his life before the irresist-
IDLE advance of his enemies-here is
an ironic picture not easily matched
in the pages of history, though defeat
ed and fugitive monarchs are plentiful
in those pages.
Why did this deposed war lord, fall
10 I Iv-ixf hxv hi
jected by his people, fail to commit
his reasons for choosing to remain
alive. And then he goes on to tell
what he thinks of the peace and of the
present plight of Germany and he
gives his views of Woodrow Wilson
and the fourteen points and of the
American people. He tells, in short,
practically everything that you want
to have him tell you. Some of his
judgments are keen and sure. Some
of them are bizarre. Some of them
are ludicrous.
1t Is a most revealing story It's
hero is William the ex-Greet. Yet all
its unique chapters, all it's sketches of
the characters and the motives of men
in places of power, all its grandiose
recitals of things achieved or attempt
ed recall Shakespeare's lines:
"For Gods sake let us sit upon the
ground
And tell sad stories of the death of
kings"
1t is somber occasional at the
close of the day Of kaisers and czars,
of royal dukes and serene highnesses
of every degree. 1t is in its revela-
tions of pompous futility a convincing