The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-27
Relief Laws For Workn1en of
Germany Instituted by Him,
Ex-Kaiser Says in Memoirs
BY WILHELM HoHENzoLLERN

BY WILHELM HoHENZoLLERN
The policy that kept in view the
welfare of the workers unquestionably
imposed a heavy burden upon all the
industrial elements of Germany in the
matter of competition in the world
market, through the well-known laws
for the protection of workingmen.
This was especially true in relation
to an industrial system like the Bel
gian, which could, without hindrance,
squeeze the last drop out of the hui
man reserves of Belgium and pay low
wages, without feeling any pangs of
conscience nor compassion for the
sinking morale of the exhausted, I'M
protected people. BY means of my So
cial legislation | made such conditions
impossible in Germany, and l caused
it to be introduced also in Belgium,
during the war, by General Won Bis
sing, in order to promote the vel
fare of the Belgian workers. First
of all, however, this legislation is
to use a sporting term-a handicap
upon German industry in the battle
of world competition; 1t allenated
many big leaders of industry, which,
. from their point of view, was quite
natural. But the lord of the land
must always bear in mind the welfare
of the whole nation; therefore, | went
my way unswervingly.
Those workers, on the other hand,
who blindly followed the Socialist
leaders gave me no word OF THANKS
for the protection created Tor them
nor for the work had done. Between
them and me lies the motto OF tne
Hohenzollerns: "Suum cuique." That
al, !, SC mt tho
Social Democrats would have IL say:
ITO every one the same!
also barbored the idea of prevent
ing to some extent competitive war
fare. at least in the industrial world
of the European continent, by prlng-
ing about a sort of quota-fixing in for
eign lands, thereby facilitating pro-
duction and making possible a health
Ter mode of life among the working
classes.
There is great Significance In the
impression which foreign workers got
in studying Germany's social leglsla'
ton. A few years before the wal
people in England, under the pressure
of labor troubles, awoke to the con
viction that better care must be taken
of the workers. AS a result of this
commissions visited Germany, some Of
them composed of workingmen. Guild
ed by representative Germans, among
them Socialists, they visited the IN
dustrial regions, factories, benevolent
institutions, sanatoria of insurance
companies, etc, and were astonlshec
at all the things they saw. At the
farewell dinner given them the Eng
1ish leader of the workngmen's depu
tation turned to Bebel and made THIS
concluding remark:
"After all we have seen of what /:
done in Germany for the workers,
ask YOU: Are you people still Social
ists?" And the Englishman remarked
to a German that they would be quit
satisfied if they could succeed, aftel
long fights in parliament, in putting
through one-tenth of what had already
been accomplished years before II
Germany toward lettering the condl
ton of the laboring classes.
I had observed with interest tnes'
visits of the English Populations ant
marveled at their ignorance OF Gel
man conditions. But / marveled evel
more at a question asked by the Eng
lish government, through the channe
of the English embassy, on the sam
subject. which betrayed an absolutel
amazing lack of knowledge OF tn
progress made in Germany IN tn
province of social reform. l ques
toned the English ambassador, II
marking that England, having bee
represented in 1890 at the Berlin 81
cial Congress, must certainly nav
been informed, at least through tn
embassy, of the reichstag debates
which had dealt in a detailed wa
with the various social measures. IN
ambassador replied that the sam
thing had also occurred to him an
caused him to have the earlier record
of the embassy investigated, where
upon it had transpired that the en-
bassy had sent the fullest reports o
the subject to London and that tho
ough reports had been forwarde
home concerning every lmportaI
stage in the progress of social REFORM
but, because they came from &c
many, nobody ever read them; the
were simply pigeon-holed and r
NAMED there ever since; it is dow
right shame; Germany does not int
est people at home"
Thus the Briton, with shrug
his shoulders. Neither the BIRTHS
king nor parliament had enough col
science or time or desire to work Il
the betterment of the working elias
The policy of encirclement' for th
humiliation of Germany, especially
its industry, and, thereby, of its worl
ing population, was, in their eyes, Il
more important and rewarding O
the 9th of November (191S) the &c
90. man Radical Socialist leaders, wit
x their like-mirded followers, joine
forces with the British policy of a
Inhalation.
"Wefare Work" at the Court
In a small way, in places where
had influence, as, for instance, in II
administration of my court and in II
Imperial Automobile club, l laid stree
upon the social point of view. Fl
instance, I caused a fund to be esta