The record-union., 1896-12-28
They LIRE Undergoing the SeVereSt EX-
pOSure and Criticism.
Dead-Beat Aristocrats and Ruined
Spendthrifts
Find Refuge i'm Government Positions
Army Officers All Scions of No
biIity-Centennial FeteS of Kaiser
Wilhelm I.-Elections for the Aus
trian Reichsrath-FaCtOri Re-
suming Work-DoCk Laborers'
Strike Assuming a New Phase.

Strike Assuming New Phase.
BERLIN, Dec. 21.-(Copyright, 1896.
by the United Associated Presses ,
The pr5tensionso of the German arlstocrat,
especially the army officer, recrultefi
as he always is from the junker fami-
lies, to be treated as of a dlVlnely con-
stituted caste, are undergoing the Sc
verest exposure and criticism from the
progressist and Independent press. The
question is being discussed whether the
army is national, except in the sense
that the people contribute the rank and
file, pay the money to support it and
allow the aristocrats to monopolize
every post above that of non-commis-
Stoned officer.
The notion that a career of advance
ment is open To any man of ability ap-
plies least of all TO the Prussian regi-
ments. Progressist papers analyzing
the condition of the army, show that in
forty six Prussian regiments there are
only officers drawn from the nobility;
that in the cavalry with 1I3 officers.
only one can be regarded as taken from
the bourgeOise and that in the artillery
there is also a single isolated and prob
ably most uncomfortable situated Off
Ger, Who does not belong to what IS
called noble family"
This grasp of caste upon office ex
tends beyond the army into the lower
regions of administration, where it
might be supposed the junker would not
seek employment. Since the Tausch
process opened to the public view some
of the secrets OF the secret police ser
vice. it has been ascertained that the
greater number of the political police
officers are like Tausch and Luetzow.
scions of aristocratic families. The
same preference extends throughout all
branches of the administration. The
dead-beat aristocrat, the ruined spend
thrift and other wreckage Of the upper
class find refuge in some Government
4 post.
The Kaiser Wilhelm I. centenary fetes
begin on January LIST, which viii he
officially declared and observed as a
national holiday. The German celebra-
tion programme opens at 10 a. m. The
imperial family will attend special ser
vices in the royal court chapel. At
11:30 a grand military function is to be
held near the Schloss in front of the
national monument. Combined battal-
iors squadrons and batteries of al!
guards, regiments and OF the body
regiment of WilHamh |. will form
square and line from the castle through
the Lustgarten to and around the mon.
ument. a salvo of 101 guns Will be
fired and the bells of all the Berlin
churches will be rung. The procession
marches through the Brandenburg gate
.+k,z
where they will salute the Kaiser, Kai-
serin and Princes, who Will be there to
receive them.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon a grand
banquet is 10 be held in the castle, to
which representatives Of all classes,
Reichstag members, excepting Social
lists. mobiles and trading citizens are be-
ing invited. "Commers' will be general
throughout Berlin. and other centers
At 2. m. gala performances Of the
historic play 1872" viii be given at the
Royal Opera, the royal playhouse, and
Kroll's Theater. To all three houses
this Kaiser invites the soldiers of the
Berlin garrison and the officers will
feast them. The Kaiser will deliver a
political prOnouncement at the castle
banquet
Austrian Reichsrath are most seriously
interesting vi parties in Germany. The
dissolution appears likely 10 take place
without the Prime Minister. Count Ba-
deni. having decided upon issuing a
programme. upon which the elections
can be contested. He is practically sit
ting on the fence and watching whether
ClericaIs Anu-Semites or German Lib
erals may gain strength enough TO be
worth cultivating as Ministerial sup
porters.
Pledged when he entered office to op-
pose the Anti-Semites and to give at
least a liberal tendency to the minis
terial policy. Count Badeni now waits
upon the result Of the elections and
frankly causes 1t to be known that the
Government will build its programme
on the character of the new Reichs-
rath He will shape his programme ac-
ccrding to the majority. and as a fore
cast shows the coming Rcichsrath 70
b. Clerical and Anti-Semite the next
Radeni policy must be reactionary. The
new plogressist German party whose
platform can be summarized In a few
words as German solidarity and cen
tral reforms. is conducting an active
propa ganda which bids fair to create
a political group so formidable as tc
make 1t an important factor in the new
house.
Der Confectioner" asserts that 300
German factories have resumed work
since MckiAley vas elected President
Of the United States, and that about
500 factories have increased theII
hands. The factories resuming include
twenty-eight wooden goods mills, cot
ton goods works, twenty-three gentle
mans Quitting works and eighteen
carpet factories. All of these had been
closed for several years
The social functions for the winter
season have TO a certain extent com
n enced, although they are Lot yet as
lively as tAey viii be after the E,m-
poror's birthday, which occurs on Jan
rary 9th The imperial family and
the court are fully aware Of the pre-
vailng hard times among tradcsmer
and the general distress among ths
1oorer classes, and II is now eyideni
ttat it is their intention to give impetu,