The herald., 1896-12-27
IN THE kA|SER'S REALMS
Christmas FeastS Held in Hall
and H0veI
FROM EMPEROR TO BE0GAR
Every German Observed the Fes tivaI
Of Love
Skeletons of French Jealousy and Polit-
ical Bitterness Promptly Uncloset
at Setting Of Christmas Sun.
Associated Press Special wire

BERLIN, Dec. 26.-(Copyright, 1867
Christmas eve, which Is the principal
festival of Christmas to be held in Ger
many, was celebrated in the usual quiet
manner by Christians and Hebrews
alike, the latter having trees on which
were lights. apples, nuts, finger bread,
etc. There were Christmas trees not
only in every family but in the hospitals,
public institutions, asylums, prisons,
soup kitchens. casual wards and bar
racks. Snow fell and made the streets
indiescribabiy filthy.
Business has been remarkably good
| and a thorough festal mood was mani
fest, with the absence of the tone Of
uneasiness and dissatisfaction usually
present in the press.
At the new palace of Potsdam the fes-
tivities began with the empress and chill
dren giving gifts to the servants. The
| Christmas trees of the court were lit
up at o'clock. At one end of the hall
stood the empress at a table on which
were many works of art and near by the
| emperor's table. with its numerous pres
ents, including tall carved clock from
| the grand duchess of Baden, a goblet
and wine jug of finely carved silver.
The children's table, standing at the
other end Of the hall, had over them
their trees, the smallest of them for the
Princess Victoria, and then little high
er were tables and trees for each of the
| imperial children up to the crown
| prince, who had the highest. The ta-
| bles were crowded with playthings,
books and useful presents. The en-
| peror was somewhat serious in his de-
| meanor, but the empress was in good
| spirits and the children were full of de-
| light.
In the barracks everything was astir.
After religious services the rooms were
| decorated and tho presents arranged.
| AS the officers entered the men sang in
| chorus and each soldier received pres
ent. In some regiments the men were
| allowed to choose pipes. clothing, writ
ing desks, purses, ETC., and each man
also received basin of goodies" and
| some cigars from his commander.
| In each barrack the commander spoke
as follows to the soldiers: 1.-THE soldier
| should also know that Christmas is a
! festival of love. What you had at home
| with your parents, have also with the
troops. In the. face of these brightly
burning candles and gifts Of love, re-
member each Of you his oath which he
| swore to his emperor and each renew his
| diers on whom the chief
| can fully rely"
ITO your health
| The announcement In the French press
that the conseil emperieure had decided
| to re-organize the French artilltry has
| created considerable sensation, and II
the news 10 true. Germany will proceed
| to substitute for the present field artil-
| lery a gun equal II not better than the
new French weapon, which is recogniz-
| ed in Germany as being far superior to
| the present German weapon in range.
| quickness of fire and general efficiency.
The sum Of 200 000, 900 marks will be re-
quired for this reorganization of the
| German arms which. it is intended,
| should be accomplished by 1899. If
France re-arms, Germany, 1t is stated,
| will do SO at once.
In spite Of the Christmas truce, the po-
| litical controversy and social pickering
coming from the Won Tausch trial is
| still the center of interest. The pre-
liminary inquiry into the conduct of the
| former commissioner Of detectives.
charged with libel and four-fold per-
| jury, is assuming considerable dfmen-
| tenant who killed a peaceful. pleading
mechanic for accidentally knocking
| against his chair in cafe, been forgot
ten, particularly in view of another case
of military brutality reported from Star
gard, Pomerania, in which an officer
who, according to his own account, was
attacked by street urchins, drew his
sword and chased the children. One of
them stumbled and, fell and was hacked
| on the head by the officer. The boy in
question Is now suffering from concus-
| sion of the brain and severe scalp
| wounds. The affair is causing the live
| liest indignation.
Reference to the dockers' strike at
Hamburg occupy prominent place In
| the reports of peace and good will pub
| lished by the press.
| Two strike meetings were held at
Hamburg yesterday and the Socialist
deputies Molkeburg and Frome urged
| the men to continue the fight Further
| meetings with the same object in view
| were held today.
The dispute seems to be taking turn
less favorable to the employers than
was likely a week ago. In view of the
| holidays a number Of workmen who had
taken strikers places have left Ham
| burg. and 1t is now said they will not
( return. Some of the employers are try
| ing to come to terms with their own men.
| Considerable irritation continues ev-
erywhere at the utterances attributed
to the emperor In regard to the strike.
| His majesty Is credited with having
I expressed at Prince Hohenlohes BAN
| quet his pleasure at the attitude of the
Hamburg employers in "staunchly re-
sisting the unjust demands of the dock
| laborers" and to have dwelt at length
upon the idea of founding a coalition Of
employers, adding that such step upon
| the part of the employers would be a
blessing for the reduced workmen and
| enable them to resist the Indictment Of
| Of hatred in the world of labor"
It is probable, however, that some
agreement between the employers and
| the strikers will be reached within the
next few days.
The governor-general Of Alsace-Lor-
raine, Prince Hohenlohe Langenburg,
| has presented the Schiller society of
Suabia with lock of the great German
| dramatist and poets hair.
A photograph has been published of
Richling's picture, The Storming of st.
| Privat by the First Regiment of Guards
| for which Emperor William sketched
| the studies. One art critic says: "There
| Is no trace of dual inspiration; there
| fore 1t Is difficult to render unto Caesar
| the things which are Caesars.
! Advicas received haze from Lorenzo