KAISER'S WAR MANIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 72, 28 March 1921, Page 5

KAISER'S WAR MANIA.

BISMARCK'S REVELATIONS. fIRST HINT OF MAILED FIST. BEFORE HE REACHED THRONE. 3y Cable. -Tress Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) lAINDON. March 27. The forbidden third volume of Bisjuarck's memoirs, which is on the eve of publication, discloses ample reasons forthe ex-Kaiser's anxiety that they should not see the light of day. The volume vividly demonstrates \\ ilhelm's leanings towards war. both before aud immediately after he attained the throne. Bismarck realised, even when the elder Wilhelm was still alive, the ill-effects which military society in PotSdan> were exercising on the young man's character, but the stinginess of the Imperial household defeated his efforts to transfer the prince to Berlin. When 27 years of age the prince applied for and was granted access to Foreign Office documents, despite his father's strong disapproval. "Considering the unripeness and inexperience of my son," wrote Frederick, "together with his vanity, presumption, and overweening self-estimation, it is dangerous as yet to bring him into touich with foreign affairs.'' Notwithstanding the extension of this privilege, Bismarck was chagrined to find Wilhelm ascend the throne without impressions of internal life in Germany other than those afforded by a regimental life. While his grandfather and father were both alive, the Prince drew up a brief proclamation "to my future colleagues the princes of the German Empire," embodying his views on their mutual relations, which he conceitedly affirmed were very different to his father's- Wilhelm requested that sealed copies of this document be deposited iv the legations of the various German courts, but Bismarck, struck by the folly god indecency of the proceeding, advised him to burn them without delay. Wilhelm nevertheless contrived tc convey the impression to the minor courts that his father's views were stricter than his own. Wilhelm's first hint of his mailed fist predilections was given a month or two before reaching the throne. A letter which he then wrote shows how fully the Prussian militarists of 1888 anticipated the views and plans of his successors in 1914, and how thoroughly they were permeated with the idea of launching a world war. The militarists considered the moment favourable for attacking Russia, "and," writes Bismarck, "claiming for the general staff more powerful influence over Imperial politics, Wilhelm considered the German and Austrian military authorities should have been called to attention in autumn last year when there was a favourable military opportunity for warlike procedure, which then offered itself to both countries.'' The opportunity did not come itiitil 25 years later. Another remarkable pronouncement made at the same time by the future Ettrperor has a bearing on Russia's position to-day. He foresaw that Russia. after an unsuccessful war, could fall as _ result of critical internal troubles into, quite a different state of impotence than it was likely would happen in the case of any other European State.—"Times."