The record-union., 1899-03-26
Comments Of Such Character That Mudera.
ton Has Been Counseled.
stag on the Subject of Army
Gamb1ing-Charged That
Large Percentage of Officers
Belong to the Notorious Harm-
losen Club, and Are Heavy
Players at the Turf Club.

| Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press) .
BERLIN, March 25.-The Samoan
question continues to engross the at
tentlon of the newspapers and the
comments on the subject have been of
such a character that the semi official
POST to-day counsels moderation.
| The inspired organ continues: Ger
many has no intention of abandoning
her rights, but we ought to be grateful
to the Government for opening negotia-
tons to correct want. and not for in
augurating a conflict. Germany does
not propose to indorse any or all of the
actions of her officials until she ascer-
tains whether these actions conformed
with the law
| Andrew d. White, United States EN-
bassador, referring to the Samoan Sit
uation, made the following statement:
The negotiations between Germany
and the United States in regard to Sa-
moa, which have been partly carried on
here. have ceased for the present, and
are now exclusively carried on at Wash
! ington. Among the rea sons for this
change is the one that, as Washington
is nearer, in point of view, to the scene
of action, there will be less delay in
obtaining information. This is the pres-
ent status.
THE negotiations in regard to the
commercial treaty are also confined to
Washington, where the bureaus of John
kasson, Special Reciprocity Commits
sioner, and Baron Won Holleben, the
German ambassador, are handling
them. l am not aware of any interest,"
| ing recent developments in the mat
| ter
Before adjourning, the Reichstag had
most exciting discussion on the SUBJ
Ject OF army gambling. Herr Bebsl,
the Socialist leader, reiterated his
charge that there was a large percent
age of the army officers in the notorious
Earmlosen Club, adding that a similar
state Of things prevailed at the Turf
! Club, where heavy play is the main
feature. Herr Bebel further asserted
that many officers played there regu-
larly, in spite of the army regulations
! forbidding gambling. He added that
among those who frequented the club
were three princes of a reigning Ger
man house.
Herr Bebel said that the extent to
which gambling flourished in the Turf
Club was proved by the fact that the
club last year received $50 1000 marks
from card money.
| An investigation made by the CORE
lspondent here of the Associated Press
has more than corroborated the above
statements. 1t seems that 80 per cent
of the membership of the club consists
| of officers belonging to the active and
reserve forces of the army, and that
| the frequenters of the club until recently
included Emperor Williams brother-in-
law, Duke Ernst Gunther of Schleswig-
Holstein; three Baden Princes, a Wur-
temburg Prince, a Prince of Thurn and
TaXis, and a number of the members of
| the Prussian Herrenhaus Diet and
| Reichstag.
/ Any number of scandals have occurred
in the club recently. One member, a
| Prussian officer named Won Bredow,
was caught cheating after winning
100000 marks and was forced to resign
from the club and the army and to en-
igrate to America, but was not punished
| legally.
| In the Prussian Herrenhaus there
was hot debate, introduced by two
Yonkers, for the purpose of forbidding
persons of both sexes under 10 years
| of age visiting dramshops or leaving
their native place without permission.
and reintroducing punishment by whip
ping. This feature of the bill has been
referred to a committee, and will prob
ably pass. 1t is claimed that most OF
those who were consulted as to the adj
Instability of reintroducing whipping had
agreed that it was necessary, and added
that it seemed in most cases to be more
humane and more wholesome than inn
prisonment.