The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18
Never Before Have There Been
Such Services on Noted
BattlefieIdS.
HONOR FOR THE AMERICANS
Those Who Went to Participate in
Memorial Exercises Shown
Special Favor.
[Cable Letter to The United Press.l

the establishment of German unity under
old Emperor William l as are now in
progress. Through the week veterans of
the wars have been streaming into Metz
from all parts OF Germany to take part in
the services that are held annually at the
graves of those who fell in the Franco
Prus sian war; The train service which on
ordinary occasions is sufficient to carry all
those who attend the services was this
year found to be inadequate for the great
crowds attending, and many special trains
had to be run to accommodate the througs
whose patriotism has been revived by
stories of deeds OF the German army and
the more potent influence of the knowl-
edge that the demonstrations are approved
of in certain high circles close to the
Emperor as being an offset to the be-
havior of the French naval officers at the
recent celebrations in Kiel.
Germans, unlike certain of the French
people, are not continuously calling the
attention of the world to their love of
country, but the present celebration will
60 far to prove that deep in the hearts of
the German people is a love for the
"Fatherland" that is fully, to say the
least, as intense as the love of ola Patrie"
which Frenchmen are SO given to parad
ing before the nations. The weeks dem
onstrations have not been intended to i'm
press upon France that she is a conquered
country, but are merely the outcome of
German love for and faith in the empire.
The graves of the German dead have
every year wreaths placed upon them by
the Society for the Decoration of Fallen
Warriors Graves. August ID, the ami
versary of the battles of Colombey and
Corcelles, and August Is, the anniversary
of Ryonville and Mars la Tour always
see members of the society and veterans
at the graves of the dead soldiers and
simple services are held. August Is, the
anniversary for st. Privat, Gravellotte and
Rezonville is also a day always observed
by the society. In passing, it may be said
that the French dead are also honored by
their oldtime admirers, their graves being
decorated equally with those of the Ger
palm branches and oak and laurel leaf
crowns has been enormous. Conspicuous
among the gifts to be placed on the graves
were a number of French pearl wreaths
and artificial flowers from French relatives
of some of the dead
Twelve special trains, bearing Ger
man visitors to the battlefields around
Metz, arrived on Wednesday last. and
special trains have been pulling into the
city almost hourly since then. So great
was the influx of visitors and so great the
enthusiasm displayed that it was found
necessary to daily extend the official pro-
gramme, and new ceremonies were agreed
upon by those having the celebration in
charge. Although August Is is the real
anniversary of the battle of Gravellctte
the day was celebrated beforehand. The
Grand Duke of Baden dedicated to the
memory of Emperor William l huge
granite block on the spot where the King
of Prussia looked on the fight which
shook the confidence of the great Won
Moltke in the success of the German army.
The stone is erected under the historic
lime tree where the King sat on ladder,
one end of which rested on broken gun
carriage and the other on dead horse,
when Won Moltke at evening announced
that the victory was with his Majesty.
General Count Won Haeseler, commander
of the Twelfth Army Corps, dedicated on
Friday morning at Rezonville with great
pomp granite block to the memory of
Prince Frederick Charles. There are a
large number of German-American citi-
zens, members of German warrior soci-
cites, now here taking part in the celebra-
tions of the battles in which they fought,
and many more are expected to arrive
shortly.
Those already here received special hon.
ors from the cities of Bremen, Hamburg,
Dresden and Leipsic. On September l the
COMMUNICATIONS will parade before the
Emperor at Berlin on occasion of the dedi-
cation of the Emperor Wilhelm Memorial
Church. These veterans will form in line
Just outside the church along Kurfuersten-
damn on the eve of Sedan day. and will
be given points of vantage in front of the
royal castle TO witness the great tattoo"
of the guards that will be given there.
They will have a favored place on the
Templehoff field on September 2, and will
be sent with the German troops to attend
on September 9 the patrioric celebrations
at Leipsic, where festival plays dealing
with patriotic subjects will be given in the
open air. Five hundred persons, include
ing noted artists and ladies and gentle
men and members of veteran societies,
will take part in the plays.
During the week there have been seven
huge mass-meetings of Socialists held In
Berlin to discuss the new agrarian ques-
ton. Deputy Auer made a smart speech,
in the course of which he said it was in
teresting to see how Herr Bebel, who mer-
cilessly assailed Deputy Vollmars last
autumn for his agrarian policy, was now
compelled to write defense OF this same
policy. He bewailed the tragic fate that
had overtaken Herr Bebel.
Louis Stern, the New York merchant
who was recently convicted OF insulting
Baron Won Thuengen, Deputy Commits
sioner of the Klssengen Spa, and sentenced
to fifteen days imprisonment with the al
tentative OF paying a fine OF 200 marks,
was in Berlin during the week and had an
interview with Hon. Theodore Runyon,
the American ambassador. Afterwaid
Mr.. Stern went to Ostend, in Belgium. Mr..
Runyon told him he could not inter-
fere in his case, but that he would pri-
vately assist him by appealing Tor ciem-
ency to the regent of Bavaria.
The Berlin Board of Aldermen have de-