KAISER'S INNOCENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12647, 3 June 1919, Page 5

KAISER'S INNOCENCE.

LAUGHS AT THE IDEA OF TRIAL. HIS ,g LOVE OF ENGLAND.’* , T n £ dispatch from Amerongen, Mr Harod Bogbie, the “ Daily Chronicle ” correspondent, discloses some of the exKaiser’s personal views about the war. The ex-Kaiser, ho says, is entirely impenitent. He is not only convinced of his innocence; he (sees himself as one who strove harder than any man in the world to avert war. As for being put on his trial, he laughs at such an idea. , There is no power on earth that can try him. If he thought he was to be arrainged before an international tribunal he would destroy himself—not out of any fear of tho result of 'such a trial, but because ho would regard such an ordeal us insufferable to his dignity. tta ftvya. “J am answerable for my conduct only to God, and God’knows how I strove to my own peril and the peril of my throne to avert the calamity of war.” He does_ not often protest his innocence. It isAi more frequent occurrence on his part to express amazement at the opinions of those who regard him as the guilty cause of the war. RUSSIA’S GUILT ALLEGED. He declares that ho imperilled his throne by withstanding his generals when, alarmed by Russia’s action in tho days of the crisis, they pressed upon him the instant need of mobilisation. ‘‘l did not Want War, Nicholas did not want war, George did not want war,” he says, with energy. “No ruler wanted war. We were all dead against war. War was made by diplomatists. The whole guilt of the war rests on tho Russian Government. And there were secret forces at work in the Russian Government.” ; His argument is that the rivalry in the Balkans between Russia and Austria led to the conflict of 1914. Russia, powerfully buttressed by Franco and England, decided the hour was ripo for a definite contest with the worm-eaten empire of Austria. Germany was drawn into the war because sho was pledged to defend Austria against Russian aggression, and because she herself could not he insensible to the increasing menace of Russian activity. Ho denies with a' kind of fierce ridicule the charge that there was any war party in the German Empire. HIS LOVE OF ENGLAND. Askeu wiiy ue mu noumig to enter the Entente, ho replies that ho could not trust Russia. Tlio Entente seemed to liiru an organisation of tremendous power aimed uirectly at the German Empire and inspired by fear of German industry and envy of German prosperityHe is given to laughing in a mordant fashion at those who insist upon treating iiim as an autocrat. He says ho never know what it was to exercise autocratic power, and during tho war waa made to feel himself no tiling but a puppet The generals did what they would with his imperial Majesty. A journalist was attached to him, and ho was sent hither and thither into uneventful places to posture and gesticulate and hold forth for tho benefit of the home population. Ho bitterly deplores the “ greatblunder” of tho sinking .of the Lusitania and the execution of Nurse Cayell, although he disclaims responsibility for the latter outrage. With regard to Belgium, he declares that no harm would have befallen a city or village of Belgium if the Germous had not been exposed on all sides to tho “ secret , attacks of Belgian citizens-” His attitude towards England is purely sympathetic. He does not now think, as he was once minded to do, that England’s Machiavellian statesmen deliberately brought about tho war. He now says that England was deceived by Russia, and that sho had nothing to do when war _ came but to keep faith with her Allies. He deplores her entrance into the conflict, which sealed Germany’s fate, but he is not at all bitterly disposed towards England, although his hatred of British journalists is strong, vigorous and unforgiving. No English newspaper is f now read by the ex-Kaiser; he says he finds their uncritical abuses and libellous vilification beyond the power of his tolerance. His love for the country life of England still exists. He likes to talk to his visitor about the places in England they both know and the people there who were once his friends. He is continually exclaiming, “But can they really believe all these outrageous things that are said about me?” Then lie will cry, almost with a. moan, “Those wonderfully happy days in England!— gone, gone, gone!” He never dreams that the happiness of the past can he restored. Everything has fallen- Everything lies broken at his feet. He has failed, and his doom is lifelong. CONFESSION OF MISTAKES. I have made mistakes,” he will say; “ I see now where 1 might have done better; hut consider my difficulties. I came to the throne too young. 1 really succeeded my grandfather- Tho hundred days of my, father’s reign do not count. I succeeded my grandfather, and I found myself surrounded by Iris statesmen. They were all old men. They regarded, me as a boy. They treated me with the amused tolerance which old men in those days employee! towards their youngera. It was really insufferable. “I determined to assert my power, I determined to bo the leader of young Germany, a true King of a great people destined to b© a mighty nation and the strong rock of law, order and culture in tho centre of Europe. The opposition I encountered made mo headstrong. I can seo now how lyad it was for mo. I became impatient intemperate. But in spite of my faults, I did help Germany to grow to great power; and I kept t the peace for many years; and if Russia had not betrayed the -world there would be peace now. ,1 hare made mistakes, but no man is more innocent of this war than I ” ——