The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1913. THE KAISER'S JUBILEE YEAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1745, 9 May 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1913. THE KAISER'S JUBILEE YEAR.

The German residents of Canterbury have decided to hold an appropriate celebration of the Kaiser's Jubilee. William II will have completed the 25th year of his reign on June 15. and they .naturally think that sucn an event should not be allowed to pass without some fitting recognition. . Similar celebrations will take place throughout tho Ger-man-speaking world, and the preparations already in hand in the Fatherland indicate that the festivities will be made worthy of the interesting occasion. For some time past Germany has been commemorating the leading events connected with the great struggle against Napoleon in 1813, just a hundred years ago, and these commemorations are to culminate in the inauguration in October next, of a great monument on the of Liepsic. The Emperor has let it bo clearly understood that he desires no gifts for himself personally. A proposal to present him with a magnificent steam yacht, was unmistakably discouraged, and the money to bo raised will now be devoted to educational and charitable purposes. The war veterans are not to be overlooked. For no section of the people has the great War Lord more sympathy than for these men who have done so much to increase the glory of the Empire. New coins are to be issued in honour of the double commemoration—the centenary and jubilee—and on one of these is depicted on one side the German eagle holding the Gorsican snake in its claws, and on thi! other Fiikdeiuck William 111 of Prussia, surrounded by his warriors, making ready for tho great campaign of 18i:j. That the Kaiser is a striking personality—a remarkable man—is universally recognised. He occasionally rloes and says lltings uhieli are ;i 11ngellier oni of keeping willi Hie dignified and rnulio'u; ra>we v hHi iiuglish people expeel ivom .their

Monarch, and his diplomatic indiscretions have been frequent and at times startling. He does not hesitate to express the strongest opinions on the burning questions of the day, and he plays his part in tho turmoil of current politics. . Tho Emperor of Germany is no figure-head sovereign; he is the real ruler of the German Empire, and a word from him could embroil the whole of Europe in war. Whether the man is greater than his office, or the office greater than the man is a matter concerning which there is much difference of opinion, deferring to this aspect of tho question, the Berlin correspondent of the New York Even in;/ Post recently made the following interesting remarks: — What William II think? about himself and ]lis reign the world knows from his own lips. The gift of silcnca is not his. He will listen to a deluge of flattery' this year. Tho presses of Germany groan with tho weight of Kaiser jubileo literature which will toon flood the bookstalls. In most of the forthcoming works ho will bo given tho credit for all tho progress made in Germany during his roign. Tho army, navy, industry, science, art, and learning— theso are a few of tho things wil.li which lie has occupied himself. _\ll have mado huge stride® in Germany sinco lio eamo to the throne, and it will be said that the Kaiser pushed them forward. It is a tradition already (hat tli« Kaiser astounds every expert ho comes in contact with by his knowledge of tlio man's special subject. There ean be no question that his memory is prodigious. All the same, it is probable that if another had occupied 'the throiio Germany would not have been much poorer or less learned than she is to-day. Many people will contend that such an estimate of William II hardly does him justice. His policy has not yet been put to the supreme test. He is playing a tremendous international game, and his success or otherwise ean only be-judged by results. Tho data for a final verdict is not yet available. There can be no doubt that of late years Germany has met with more than ono serious rebuff in international diplomacy. Mr. Austin Harnisox, editor of the English Review, in summing up the main results of the Emperor's forward policy "since tho Imperial plunge into history with tho Kruger telegram," expresses the opinion that, "taking results only, Germany can point to the creation of a fine navy—the ono absolute success of the Pan-German policy. In almost every other political sphere the Emperor has failed." Mr. Harrison goes on to say that the Chinese policy has been abandoned, German colonisation has not boon a success, and the "hands off" doctrinc has decisively blocked German settlement in South America. Further interference in _ Morocco would ■ place Germany "inevitably before a fighting issue, in which eventually she would have to meet tho British Navy"; the defeat of the Turks has raised new dangers in conncction with the balance of power, and barred the way by land to Asia Minor; and now "the Teuton interest stands in the centre of Europe, hemmed in, at bay, facing west and cast, and now the south, in a spirit of injured, sullen aggression." Germany will eventually be compelled to choose between power on land and power on sea, for no nation can afford to incur the hostility of the greatest land and the greatest sea Power at the same time. As Britons we would, of course, like to see the Germans abandon their efforts to capturo the supremacy of the sea, with its attendant compulsion ou Britain to keep ahead in the costly race. If they would be content with a fleet which would not bo a standing menace to Britain, a friendly understanding, which would go a long way to_ sccuro the peace of tho world, might bo arrived at. However, the Kaiser has decided that "Germany's futurn lies upon tho water," and until this policy is either reversed or modified, Britain must continue to "go one better." This is the advico of Mb. J. Ellis Barker in- an article on "the armament race" in the April Fortnightly Review. He concludes in these words: At a timo like this, w'lion tho danger of war is greater than it lias ever been since tlie tints of tho Franco-German war, and when at tho same time Groat Britain's Continental rivals seem unable to keep up their naval competition with this country, Great Britain oiijjlit to have mado a groat effort, which would hare shown its Continental 'competitors that it is hopeless for them to continue the raco. The immediate laying down of eight or ten Dread noughts would probably have ended the AugloGernvan rivalry on. tho sea Such an 'expenditure would have been tho cheapest way of abolishing tho ruinous naval competition behvi.en tho two countries. It would have proved an excellent investment. Unfortunately tho Govern-' mont has misa:<l a great opportunity. There is a general impression that tho Kaiser's jubileo year—lol3—will see which course Germany intends to take as regards the race for sen, power—whether it is to be "full speed ahead," with its inevitable crippling of the army, which may mean ultimate disaster, or a slackening down, which would relieve the strain and stress, not only in Germany, but on Britain as_ well, and bring in an era of goodwill between the two nations.