We agree with Kaiser Wilhelm who yesterday, in response to birthday congratulations from President Kaempf of the Reichstag, said: "I begin a serious and decisive year." The world did not know before that the Kaiser openly admitted the gravity of his situation. In the rest of his response, it is true, the Kaiser speaks in a different vein, but seven words of truth forced their way out among sentences of sham for public consumption. The Allies have tried to make things serious the decisive for over three years now, but Teutonic organization has made their game a slow one. This year, of all times, with the United States working in accord with these undaunted Allies, may their aims be realized. We have heard of Austrain discontent and German mutiny, but these thin rumors fade into insignificance beside those words of the Emperor of the Germans. Coming from him, they are more reassuring than many bellowings of his people. Official word is had that the Magnifico of Potsdam sees the possibility of the beginning of the end. It is far from a certainty, but that William II is becoming worried is some relief. Of course Wiliam would not wish his mesage to be so construed, but one should be able to pick out a grain of truth from a maze of sophistries.