Evening star., 1922-11-11
Kaiser's Memoirs Constitute "Con-
fessiou of Guilt"

The much discussed question Of the
German kaisers share in the respon-
sibili:y for the world war has been
settled, as American editors see it.
by no less an authority than the ex-
kaiser himself. His memoirs, writ
ten and intended as a defense. If not
altogether as a vindication, have been
almost universally interpreted by
American commentators as q confes-
sion Of guilt And as contribution
to history they fall equally wide OF
the mark. Their value. in the opin-
| ion Of the press. lies chiefly in the
additional light they throw on the
mental makeup of the man himself
and even that, number of writers
think, holds more interest for the
! psychiatrist than for the world At
large.
There has been criticism of the
members of the American press who
gave these so-called recollections to
the people of the United States
the Cincinnati Enquirer recalls.
Some even have gone so far as
to declare the publication to be a
piece of German propaganda. Now
that they have been read and digest
ed, it is altogether likely that these
critics will thank the publishers for
rendering the world a great service.
Because no more damning evidence
ever was produced against one ar
raigned for his misdeeds than that
given by the pen Of William of
Hohenzollern against himself in justi-
fication of his errors"
In the writing of his memoirs he
has. the Wheeling Intellisencer notes.
justify his own actions and those of
the Germany he so tyrannitally
ruled" and the book. the Columbus
Dispatch adds, 'is an appeal for a re-
versal of the judgment already rem
dered in the great court of world
"the answer to that appeal can be
nothing but an overwhelming mega
tive"
The book corresponds to the privi-
legged statement of condemned
criminal before sentence is passed
upon him, practice Of American
Jurisprudence. the st. Louis Globe
has made his statement. 1t has
been presented to the world without
the change of word. The sentence
may now be pronounced without the
slightest misgiving that 1t is either
wrong or excessive. For there is no
than the kaiser's memoirs.
Dethroned. exiled and disgraced. re-
jected by his own people and con-
demned by humanity. he endeavors
10 snow that he was poor. weak
creature. controlled by the chancellors.
responsibility Of government. who
alone were to blame for whatever
was wrong or whatever failed. while
still. with that vanity which even now
he cannot discard, claiming to him
self the credit for whatever was good
and successful. Undoubtedly If Ger
would have accepted all the glory as
his personal due. but now he shifts
the onus of failure on his ministers
and generals and on the German
people who abandoned the army and
The Jackson tMich.) News quotes
Gabriel Hanotaux. historian, acede-
mtcian and former French minister
Of foreign affairs" as saying that
there is not line or p chapter in
the memoirs that Decent display alb
solute ignorance or loss Of memory"
Indeed. the Binghamton Press thinks
'if he could have reported ac-
curately some of the conversation he
had with the strong men who really
controlled the policies Of the German
empire. he might have made an inter-
tion to our knowledge OF recent his
tory. If he could even have reported
precisely what he saw and what he
did on various important occasions.
he might have shed light upon the
dramatic aspect of some Of the great
part. But he does not do this. and so
the only thing which he could con-
tribute to our knowledge OF the world
tragedy which no one else can supply
is left unreported." The result, the
Philadelphia Record observes. Is that
"Ho writer ever produced a more
worthless book. It sheds no light
ON history Of a: great period except
80 far as it illuminates Williams
mental and moral dimensions"
y,i~ ~ in In rasf