WHAA GERMANS THINK OF THE KAISER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12602, 16 September 1905, Page 4

WHAA GERMANS THINK OF THE KAISER.

By way of counterblast to an article which recently appeared in the "Xational RevieAv," giving the impressions an Englishman; just returned from Germany after an extended sojourn of some years, during which he lived in close contact with "plain people"' of all descriptions, contributes to the same periodical his own impressions of what the Germans think of their Kaiser and of the absolute form of government imposed upon them by the JuhTEer constitution. He says that from the people themselves "he has never heard a single word which expressed a sense of personal regard, devotion or affection for tho present occupant of the imperial throne." One of the most successful technical teaching professors of Germany characterised the Kaiser as "a dilettante, purely and solely, whose dilettanteism extends into everything with which he meddles"; who possesses a smattering of multitudinous knoAv-loc-ge, which is surprisingly effective, because it is displayed by a monarch; antl who knows how to appropriate and reproduce as his own the intellectual gifts of able men whose brains are at hvs command. A substantial, conservative, wealthy German, with a university doctor's degree, who was formerly a great admirer of his Sovereign, now says: '-'We are most of us getting

mighty tired of worshipping J;he image which Nebuchadnezzar the King has set up," for it is seen to be mostly clay, with one iron too, the army, i'or kicking the people, and another, the navy, in preparation for further kicking. J'Jven the boasted efficiency of the former it doubtful, because "it is 'bossed' by an irresponsible amateur." "Numbers of my own class," observes this ex-conser-vative, "myself included, vote Socialist now." A highly placed teacher in a State school writes—"Crowds of the finest Germans known to me are Re publicans, and detest the Kaiser and all his doings." And a working man who is a Social Democrat declares that "an end must and will be put in Germany to one-man power, militarism and irresponsible government," adding "Our 3,000,000 votes grow not less, but more, day by day. They wi!l ever be cast on the side of peace, every one of them.

. . . We hate war, I tell yon, and will yet capsize these professional cutthroats, who provoke and thrive on it."