New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-28
CAUSE OF THE BERLIN RIOT.
IT'S ORIGIN IN HUNGER. NOT POLITICS.
GRAVE RESULTS MAY FOLLOW THE OUTBREAKS
THE EMPERoRS MIND BELIEVED TO
BE AFFECTED

such exciting scenes having BEN witnessed in
the streets of the Prussian capital since the stir
ring days of lS4s-yet | cannet help thinking
that both the Gauss Of the outbreak as well az
the inevitable results thereof. are misunderstood
here. The statement that the march of tn, mob
upon the Imperial Palace was organized by tho
Socialists as a reply to the Emperors autocratic
speech at the banquet of the Brandenburg Pro-
vincia Diet on the night before. are based
merely supposition. and in the highest de-
gree improbable. Indeed everything goes to show
that the outbreak has been devoid of all political
insigaton and object, and that it has been merely
the counterpart of the popular demonstrations of
the unemployed which have taken place during
the past two three winters in London. Vienna.
Paris, Rome, and in fact in every great capital.
Finance and trade in Europe at the present
moment i'll a very uneasy and appreh@ns1ve con-
dition, and every branch of industry is more or
less injuriously affected thereby. The result is
that vast bodies of the working class0s nave
been thrown out of employment and deprived Of
the means of earning their daily bread
lust in the winter months when misery
and want even more kcenly 1elt
than thee would be during the less lnclement sea-
sons of the wear 1t is in the large cities where
the misery of the working classes is the greatest,
and nowhere more so than in Berlin, which ell
boom after the events of 1870 converted 1t into
the captal of the Empire. There rush OF
The working classes from all parts Of Germany TO
Berlin: men abandoned steady work and thriving
business in the provincial and rural DISTRICTS
in the hope of making a large and speedy fortune
at Berlin To-day the boom is on the wane-hay'
almost over and Berlin is crowded WIN al i'-
mensc body of the laboring classes, who' ""iie
willing and anxious to work for their living, nave
neither prospect of obtaining employment nor means
of leaving the place
American-born citizens of the United States
are scarcely able to appreciate such sit"a-
ton as this In this great country ID"
abel bodied man need starve. There Is worH
of some kind another Tor every
body who is honestly anxious TO earn hNe'i-
hood, and even the most recently arrived iiiiii'
grant who does not know word of English Is
able TO find means Of earning subsistence "lthin
a day or two after landing. But in London LII
Rome and especially in Berlin, the case is different
A man hardworking skilled and honest. with a
family dependant upon his earning, suddenly loses
his lob. not through any tauls of his own, but
solely in consequence Of the sackness OF trade ana
49, s,aonation of industrial enterprise.
notwithstanding all his efforts, he Is unaole 10
find employment, and when he gazes at his VIE
and little ones slowly starving TO death' WHAT
wonder is il that he should grow desperate anu
seek to fasten upon some one the responsibility oI
bringing about the condition of affairs that rehueiS
il impossible for him to obtain work? 1t was
this that led to the march upon the Imperial Gas
tie. We are told that the mob first appealed to
the Burcomaster or Mayor of Berlin for assistance,
and that it was only on his refusal to listen TO
their petition that they determined to see the
Tmueror in person. 1t was not political rlgh's
that they wanted from him, but only relef from
starvation. Ii bread that they sought
fact proved by their attacks on the BAKER anu
butcher shops after the Emperor had caused them
10 be driven away from MS palace gates The
poupG Emperor maniiestly does not appreciate
the full responsibility of his position, at any rate
he docs not comprehend it in the nght llght' 'or'
his anxiety u he regarded as the
father Of his people, he acted IN a slnguary UNI
parental manner TO those Of his children VINO APP
Icaled IN him i'm their distress. They asked him
for bread. and he gave them, not stone, put
eorne,binp even still charitable They were re
ceved with blows. sword thrusts, and pistol
shots by his police, and while the latter "ere
engaged in beating the people on, ne s'oou' we
are told, at a window on the hrst moor ol h's
palace. gazing impassively at the scene below
which he could have stopped by mere wave OIL
the hand \ few words spoken from thaU WIZ
dow o promise to consider measures Tor 'her
relief from starvation, would have proved suihcieh'
to calm the entire disturbance. and II may saiely
be averred that had either his grandfather OF
father been In his place, those words would have
been spoken. But they remained unsald.
so much for the cause and origin of the dis
tufbance The results are likely 10 prove very
grave. In the first place the lawess and criminal
element of the Berlin population-ond even 'he
Emperor himself confesses that it Is far larger
and more dangerous than that OF any other capt.
tol or great CITY Of the same size and character
have realized and appreciated the difficulty when
the police have experienced in dealing Win the
outbreak and will not be slow TO take advantage
thereof The more advanced and active branches
Of the Socialist movement have likewise taken ho'e
thereof with " view 70 future events. ihey nave
seen that for about forty-eight hours MOD was
able practically TO control the streets OF Berlin 10
loot baker and butcher shops, and in fact 10 nave
things pretty much their own way. mat 10
attack should have been made on the great pahhs'
on the palaces of the rich and on the great jewel
lers. gnnmalxers and silverware shops, furnishes
abundant evidence of the truth OF the assertion
which have made above, namely that the moo
which marched Oh the castle composed OF
men and women rendered desperate by want OF
work and conseq uent starvation, whose only OBJECT
was TO appeal to their Landesvater' father OF
the country for relief. Henceforth the prestige
of the Emperor, as competent TO malntain oroer
and 10 insure the security OF the lives ana property
Of the people of Berlin, is gone. Rich ana poor,
lawabiding citizens and evil-doers have seen and
realized that the power and control OF uie young
monarch is far less effective than was believed.
since he il not even able to preserve public order
at his palace doors
On the other hand, the Emperor hav-
ing at length, by dint of much brn-
tslty on the part Of his police, and after con-
siderable efforts succeeded in restoring tranquility
will regard himself more than ever before as lhdls-
pensable TO his country and as it's sole prop, safe
puarl and mentor His belief in his infallbity VIII