The New York herald., 1922-12-24
A Tactical Failure.

An interesting commentary upon the
Kaiser's ability as an army leader is
contained an entry in the diary con-
cerning the great army maneuvers in
1890.
1.-THE Kaiser has had the command of
troops for four days. and 1t has become
apparent that while he might have some
ability ON the drill ground he has none
in actual movements. He becomes ex-
cited and rides to and fro and goes too
far in front Of the lines and interferes
with the commands Of his generals. His
orders are numerous and one contradicts
the other. He wishes always to win and
flies into a rage when the decisions OF
the referee are against him" Field
Marshal Waldersee himself brought
down the wrath Of the Emperor when he
laid a simple trap into which the Kaiser
led his whole army and constructively
lost It. Waldersee was promptly re-
moved to another position In the ma
neuvers.
When on December IT, 1se9,-accord-
ing to Waldersee, the Kaiser received
the news of the defeat of the English
Gen. Butler in South Africa. and sub
sequently received the telegram from
Queen Victoria, they. upon their return
from hunting, discussed the possibility
of sending German troops to the aid OF
the English. The Kaiser had been highly
sympathetic with the English In ths
subjugation of the colonial uprisinRs
and admitted that 1t might be good
move to pose as friend In need to
England.
II was pleased" said the Field Ma
shall, "but also expect another profit
than he expects. hope that in such
participation he will see the folly oi
recxlessncss with troops In sending them
forward in huge, massed formations. as
he insisted upon during the maneuvers
They could only meet the same fate as
the English and be cut to pieces"
.waldersce declares that the Kaiser
was apparently thoroughly sympathetic
with the English. but could not conceal
the hope that they would be Inundated
.ryyhat shall we do7 The English art
SO much superior to us that we do not
dare to say word!" he exclaimed tc
waldorsee one day in utter despera-
tion.
.Ts this the result OF a policy OF ter
yoarsy' writes the Field Marshal In his
diary. ut Is. 1t is the fruit of un-
methodical cropping In which we went to
one side and then the other without hav-
ing succeeded in getting the confidence
OF either side. There could be no other
result"
Early in April the following year. after
numerous entries in his diary concern
ing the enmity between the Kaiser ano
his Cabinet, waidersee wrote the fol
lowing:
Now Il becomes the truth that we
are isolated politically. The interesting
feature of It Is that the Kaiser admit:
IL himself. He complains TO his courtier:
that IL Is difficult TO make a policy be-
cause he meets with suspicion every
where. OF course no one dared ask hin
why his policy was suspected nor who
was 10 blame for the fact l honestly
pity the Kaiser, because he has the bes
of intentions and because many more
disappointments are in store for him. u
Is his misfortune to succeed In every.
thing at the beginning. thing whici
buoys ip his self-confidence and makes
him regard himself superior to all others
He thinks he Is master or policy botl
foreign and domestic, but the fact re-
mains that he Is only a novice. Do
r1estic political conditions are no better
than they were when he took the throne
and abroad we have not single friend
The recognition that he himself is tc
blame has not dawned upon him, and
as a result things so along in the samC
old manner"
On the occasion of Prince Wilhelm
being made a General on his thirtietf
birthday. whom the old Emperor opposed