GERMANY
Leaving Rome, he headed north through Italy and Central Europe, passing over the Alps and through the San Gothard Tunnel, to Zurich. Crossing Lake Constance, he watched in vain for a glimpse of a trial flight of a Zeppelin over the nearby Zeppelin factory. In Lindau, Bavaria, he passed easily through customs, waiting until after he had passed through to show the Imperial pass. In Switzerland, his travel was unhampered and unquestioned.
In Berlin, Kenny's meeting with the ex-Chancellor Prince von Beulow was relatively short: everything of importance had been covered in the meeting in Rome with von Flutow. von Beulow surprised Kenny by letting slip some war information which Kenny had supposed was top secret until the end of the interview, when von Beulow mentioned that it was probably already known to the enemy or soon would be. Nonetheless, Kenny found it interesting to know in advance that a great movement of troops and munitions was taking place from the French to the Russian frontier, and that the entrance of the other Powers on either side was imminent.
In response to a remark by Kenny that the Irish had great hopes for the Zeppelin - for landing arms and maybe men in Ireland - von Beulow explained that this was not feasible because of the difficulty of landing a Zeppelin in unprotected territory. He said that a Zeppelin could be used to bomb English garrisons in Ireland, if they could be located. Kenny ventured to say that he thought this would be a risk to the Irish people. von Beulow answered quickly, "Of course not: England is the proper object of Zeppelin attack."
von Beulow inquired about the extent of military preparation in Ireland. Kenny was obliged to tell him that there were few arms and little ammunition. However, he said, the Irish were born soldiers, and the Irish Volunteers had been well trained. And training, he pointed out, took time, whereas supplying arms was simply a matter of transport.
von Beulow tried to discourage Kenny from returning through Ireland. When Kenny demurred, noting that he was an American citizen traveling on an American passport, von Beulow shot back at him, "Well, then, don't go near His Majesty", meaning the Kaiser, adding, "It certainly would be hard to explain away an audience with him. It might mean the 'Tower" with unpleasant possibilities."
Nonetheless, he suggested that if Kenny could stay longer, the chances of his seeing the Kaiser could be improved. Kenny replied that if Italy and Holland were drawn into the war, he would be hemmed in and without funds. von Beulow countered that the matter of funds was not a problem, but John Kenny explained that the Clan-na-Gael had made a condition of their request for German help that they would not ask for money.
In hopes of meeting with the Kaiser, Kenny set off on a zigzag path through Germany. At Dusseldorf, after showing the Imperial pass he was permitted to board a? troop train - the only civilian, as far as he could see, who had done so. He was told that the train would follow whatever path circumstances allowed, with the destination termed vaguely as 'the front' or 'behind the lines'. The train went as far as the frontier, but not quite to the front. About this time, Casement later recalled that cablegrams appeared in New York papers announcing that the Kaiser had arrived in the vicinity of the Crown Prince's headquarters, and that some great change had occurred in the plan of campaign as indicated by "the rumored retirement of the Chief-of-Staff following the retreat from the Marne. It transpired later that this was one of the most momentous periods of the war." Rumors were rife that Italy and Holland were being dragged into the conflict and, remembering the difficulties and delays at Gibraltar and Naples, and needing to avoid being hemmed in, Kenny reluctantly retraced his steps. Shortly after his return, he wrote in the Gaelic American:
'This part of my trip furnished me with an experience which I never in my life dreamed of having and if I were to live for one thousand years I would not have the opportunity of seeing again. Here I had been almost within sight and sound of the scene of what promises to be the most gigantic struggle which has marked the course of history. ... One is filled with dismay at the thought of the disastrous effect upon our civilization should the war be extended so as to involve still other nations...'
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