KAISER-KICKING.

NZ Truth, Issue 128, 30 November 1907, Page 5

KAISER-KICKING.

HYNDMAN'S HEAT.

Germany's Emperor Not,

Wanted

Is Coistitutioually Governed England.

The cable some weeks ago informed us, m an awestruck manner, that H. ,M. Hyndham had created a sensation m London by saying that if any attempt were made to give the Kaiser of Germany a public reception m England, the Social Democrats would demonstrate their 'displeasure m the public streets at this kow-towing to, the military despot of Europe. The "Haldane" referred to by Mr Hvndman is, . of course, the Secretary of State for War, and the "Honest Johns" are John Morley, Secretary of State for India, and John Burns, President of the Local Government Board. Mr Hyndman says :—

What probability is there that notice will be taken of the serious mistake made by the Kino; when he invited the Kaiser to visit London "m the name of the English people ?" Very little, we fear. But we SocialDemocrats intend to do our part by calling public attention to the matter, and, if necessary, by organising a public protest m the streets, m order to prove that our democracy — however apathetic it may seem— is not yet ready to accept at the

KINO'S CONVENIENT VALUA-

TION

any despot he may choose to entertain as his guest.

.... Prom the first this little journal has recognised that, republicans as we are and shall remain the K4ng was fulfilling, up to quite recently, . the functions of a most c'a-i pable and enlightened permanent President, with all the advantages which attach to ancient descent and high rank m our queer society of to-day. Even then, however, an old and highly-respected friend of the S.D.P., Who is. no Socialist, Professor Bensley, privately remonstrated with us. Sooner or later, he said, the influence of the Sovereign, Liberal though he may be m home affairs, is almost certain to be turned at

A CRITICAL JUNCTURE against the democracy, and then we should regret having given Ddward VII. personal credit for his good works. The first evidence of this danger came m regard to Russia. It is an open secret that the King has been throughout extremely anxious to bring about an arrangement with the C^ar. Regardless of the outraI rceous brutalities for which that epileptic and superstitious tyrant is responsible, our Constitutional Monarch has been deeply solicitous for th<i signing of the Treaty now .concluded, thus strengthening the hands of the

REACTIONISTS AND TORTURERS m Russia, and helping the bankrupt Muscovite Government to get more money m Western Europe' We are told, indeed, that now* that this shameful treaty is actually signed the King and Czar are to meet and exchange the kiss of peace . over the official torturings of Riga and the Governmfint pogroms of Southern Russia. We venture to assert that the King himself, with all his'well-earn-ed popularity, could not successfully defend this strange action before an open public meeting of his subjects m any part of his dominions.

But the Czar, after all, is not uowadavs such a formidable enemy to progress. The Russian revolution has only just begun. The Romanoff dynasty

IS MANIFESTLY DOOMED. And . Nicholas himself, with all his turpitude, counts personally, for ?.o little that the Terrorists' doii't think him worth assassinating ; which is, perhaps, just as well, seeing that assassination does not. help on economic development, and often turns the tide temporarily m favor of the oppressors.

• The Ivaiser, however, is an entirely different sort of personage. He and his -are to-day the mainstay of reaction m Europe. Not content with carrying on his jack-boot system of domination m Germany, where ho forces the doctrine of high treason to a point never before heard of, anil imprisons men and women for a chance phrase, the Kaiser also represents the incarnation of that

AO CURSED MILITARY SYSTEM against' which the workers of the world have just unanimously protested at Stuttgart. He is, above/ all, the War-Lord. He never opens his lips but he 'talks of the "good sword," the "mailed fist," his "trusty ' soldiers," and, short as men's memories are m such matters, we surely cannot yet have forgotten ■fche threatenings and slaughters; which the Kaiser breathed out against the French Republic only a few months ago on wholly insufficient grounds. But uncle and nephew have, it appears, come together again, and we Londoners are consequently" asked to bow down before the Mtonarohial International without any reason whatever for this sudden change of attitude. It is the Portsmouth cry over again,

"ON YOUR KNEES, I*OGS" ! Wiho are we, m faot, .that we should presume 'to criticise or object to the arrangements of the great ones of the earth, who have done themselves the honor to be born m order to rule over us ? The business of monarchs is to be monarchists, and the Kaiser comes here m his monarchists capacity to receive our homage as the Lord's annointed ! So we are virtually told.

We British Social-Democrats, how- ■, ever, don't take this view of the : Kaiser's visit at all. We don't want Uim here, and we don't believe the > overwhelming majority of our conn- ; tvymen want him here either. If, nevertheless, the King lilces to entertain him as his guest and to call m Hegelian Haldane as Toad-Rater-in • Chief, with the two honest Johns n".

: BOOT-LICKERS-JN~OT?DINARY to His Imperial Majesty, we , cannot prevent \it. But should any attempt be made to fake up a sham "popular" reception for this reactionary potentate m our metropolis we ourselves may have a word or two to put m;' and m London, at nny ra.tr, we can Kay what wp have to say publicly and to some purpose aloiik the pubHn liipli'.v y. H. U. HYNDMAN."