The Kaiser's Latest

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 46, 17 November 1904, Page 18

The Kaiser's Latest

Full particulars of the Dr. Benglcr episode, which has figured so prominent,y in the cables during the week, will doubtless come to hand in due time and it will then be possible to give an intelligible account and explanation of the facts. In the meantime there can be but one opinion as to the boorishness and stupidity of the Kaiser's deliverance on the matter. Because a single ecclesiastic has displeased him he threatens the whole Catholic population of the country, and is ready at a minute's notice to exchange the ' gentle hand ' with which he reckons he has hitherto ruled for the much-heard-of ' mailed list.' The Catholics have little need to tremble at the threat. If there is one man in all Germany who needs Catholic support, both in the Reichstag ana out of it, it is this same bumptioos lordling who now talks so big, and if in the past he has

treated Catholics with a certain amount of justice and reasonableness it has been quite as much out of regard for his own precious skin as from any loftier motive. The world is getting very tired of these irresponsible autocrats, and if a ' mailed fist ' campaign would help to break down one of the most odious tyrannies in all Europe its inauguration would not be by any means an unmixed evil.