Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-05-26
CHAPTER II


priceless wines. my friends" their
host confided. "These three bottles
are trimagnums, or Rehoboans I think
they are sometimes called, of johann
nisberg, the famous 1904 vintage.
With my glass in my hand and a burn
ing wish in my heart, ask you all to
rise to your feet and drink with me
to the hope that during this hour
we may write bright new page or
two in history and find the way to es-
tablish the thing we all desire-the
peace of Europe. I now invite Herr
Hellstern the Leader of Germany, to
offer you a few words of explanation
as to his present attitude"
Count Helm resumed his seat. He'll
stern drank briskly from his glass be-
fore he rose. 1t was curious how the
man seemed to have shrunk physical
~ of overwhelming anxieties.
"Count Helm," he said, "and dele
gates of this small conference: 1t is
I who am responsible for the rearm-
ing of the German nation. I was the
first to see that the way to peace
could never lie through disarmament.
Disarmament is logical impossi-
bility Great Britain recently proved
that point. The disarmament policy
failed and so Great Britain was COM
PEELED to build planes and ships with
feverish haste just when so much of
the best materials in the world have
been absorbed. The German army is
today invincible. But found as 9TH
ers have found before me, that when
I created it, created Frankenstein.
The new German army is indeed in
vincible, but it would fight for three
things only-God, Germany and an
Imperial ruler. I foresaw this years
ago and I saw the truth. I saw it in
the days when England first COM
menced her reconsideration of this
gesture to be announced here and
which is the only thing which may
keep the German army from war and
make the German people a joyous and
a peaceful nation. I now, my friends,
put that gesture into plain words:
England, under certain conditions has
offered to restore our colonies"
There was an undertone of voices,
of murmurs surcharged with emo
ton, of suppressed drama forcing its
way into some expression. Then
once more the deepest silence.
Germany asks no more" continued
Hellstern. "There may be shade of
bitterness in what I say when I tell
you that that offer would never be
made to me. It would only be made
to Germany which England consid-
cred in position to hold it's own in
dignity and honor among the nations.
That is one reason why my resigna-
tion as Leader of Germany is today
in the hands of Count Helm.
81 look not so far away from home
and I see the misfortunes which have
befallen the man whose career has
so often been ikened to my own. A
dubious war will bring any idol in
the world tottering from his place
In the peoples hearts. A dubious war
is thing with which I will have moth
ing to do. have struck my blow for
Germany. What I have done I have
done. It is for Count Helm, if the
people trust him and I know they
will, to carry on"
Notwithstanding their hosts expess
ed wish that approval or disapproval
of what was said should be yelled in
discreet silence there were little muir
murs of amazement as Germany's ex-
ruler resumed his seat. Count Helms
long fingers stole into the silver cup
by his side into which he had dropped
several screwed up pieces of paper.
He drew out one of them.
Gentlemen" he announced, 1--WE
shall now listen to Signor Corletti,"
Corletti rose promptly to his feet.
He was at once sauve, convincing and
fluent.
"Sir," he began with bow to his
host. "I have this much to say to
you on behalf of my beloved Italy.
We have derived some incalculable
benefits from the bold and astute rule
of our Premier, but once more Roman
history must record the story of
man of genius, who, after years of sue
cess, leaped into slippery places and
unused to failure in a spirit of fierce