it he had them assure him that he had vindicated his loyal and patriotic feelings, with brilliant fearlessness and in spite of slander and calumny. That his action had made it possible to administer a serious rebuff to the unpatriotic element in Netzig. That Diederich had emerged, a pure and true-blue German, from a struggle waged at great personal loss.
The occasion of his admission to the Association was festive, and Kunze read the address, while Diederich, with tears in his voice, confessed his unworthiness to receive such praise. If patriotism was gaining ground in Netzig, they should thank, after God, one higher than himself, whose gracious commands he executed in joyful obedience. … They were all moved, even Kunze and Kuhnchen. It was a great evening. Diederich presented the club with a cup … and he made a speech in which he touched upon the difficulties with which the new Army Bill was meeting in the Reichstag. "Our sharp sword alone," cried Diederich, "assures our place in the world, and His Majesty the Emperor appeals to us to keep it sharp. When the Emperor commands it will fly from its sheath! Those politician fellows, who want to butt in with their talk, had better take care that they are not the first to feel it! You cannot fool with His Majesty, gentlemen, I can tell you that." Diederich glared and nodded weightily, as if he knew more than he could tell. At that moment he had a real inspiration. "Recently in the provincial legislature of Brandenburg the Emperor made his attitude clear to the Reichstag. He said: Tf these chaps refuse me my soldiers, I'll clear out the whole shop!'" The phrase aroused enthusiasm, and by the time Diederich had replied to every one who toasted him, he could not have said whether the words were his own or the Emperor's. … The next day the phrase appeared in the "Netzig Journal" and the same evening in the "Lokal-Anzeiger." The radical papers demanded an official denial, but none was forthcoming.
