Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-25
OTHER LANDS THAN Guns.

corning the intellectual capacity, the at
! tainments, the financial status and the
private life Of these men and about the
Influences by which they we're swayed, but
sought similar data concerning the writer's
of all the articles brought to his attention
in the Teuton and foreign press. All kinds
of devices were employed to obtain these
particulars, many Of which were secured
through military intervention, that Is to
say. through officers of the reserve, who.
though engaged In civil pursuits. are
nevertheless still subject to military obedi-
ence and discretion.
There are few people engaged in the
newspaper profession whether as owners,
as editors or as managers. who, thanks to
this elaborate investigation carried on
through a number Of years. since the end
OF 1895, possess such an extraordinary
range of information concerning news
paper men as the kaiser, and II will doubt
less astopish many journalists in this coun-
try, particularly those who have had oc-
casion to write about him and about his
empire, to know that William II has filed
away in his splendid system Of card in
dexes all kinds OF data concerning them.
even to the size OF their families and of
their incomes.
Norway is now having its FIRST general
election since II became an entirely indie
pendent kingdom for new Storthlng,
which is to meet on October II. They
began on August 5 and will continue until
August rs and then there will be, IL neces-
sary, supplementary elections on septem-
Der for securing absolute majorities in
such districts as may have given nothing
but pluralities in the first elections. In
general the electorate is divided into two
major parties, the conservative and the
liberal, known In the storthins as the right
and the left. These existed in much the
same form before the separation from
Sweden. Most OF the liberals are inclined
toward granting full suffrage to women on
the same terms as TO men, and most Of the
conservatives are opposed to It. The lib
erals also favor a system of state insur-
ance against disabling inflrmities. which
the conservatives regard as of doubtful
practicability. A third, difference, in which
perhaps more interest is taken than in
either Of the others, is over the matter Of
language The liberals largely favor the
official adoption of the "Maal,'' or popu-
lar vernacular OF Norway, while the con-
servatives uphold the use Of the literary
Language, which is really Of Danish origin,
The appahing destitution existing among
ZIG InaSSoS IN EnBldEu, WhCH Odb DtcH CHI
phasized by the hunger parades in London
and by the Investigations OF Charles Booth
and others. lends q force and significance
which cannot be evaded TO the contention Of
the English laborites that the present in
dustrial system in England should be rad
! ically reformed. For II should go without
| saying, declares the Scientific American,
\ that there must be something funda-
mentally wrong in system under which
country rich, strong and prosperous as
| England is today should at the same time
have millions of its people on the verge of
starvation. About $4,000 persons received
poor law relief in England last year, while
| in addition to this great army of paupers
more than twice as many more persons
were estimated to be in actual need Of the
necessities OF life.
In view of this situation, one can SYM
pathize with the arguments Of Kier Hardie
the labor leader, when he appeared before
Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman, the new
prime minister. recently. to urge the adop-
tion OF old age pensions. He was told that
there was no money with which to pay
such pensions. Mr.. Hardie declared that
the excuse OF no money had been made
| twelve years ago; that in the interval the
| governments expenditure had advanced to
nearly s200,0O0.000 a year, half Of which
went in "wasteful expenditure on the
army and navy" The total extra cost Of
providing pensions for the aged poor Ii
estimated at from 100000 to $4,000 0oc.
Since 1895. however, protested Mr.. Hardie.
81, 800, 900, 900 has been 'squandered on a
war which did no one good except the con-
tractors" England's outlay for the current
year on its navy alone is over 800. 900, ooo,
one great warship. the Dreadnaught, hav-
ing cost nearly $4,000 1000. All this while
pauperism increases and millions suffer for
want of food and clothing. It Is this sense
less and criminal extravaganza in the d.
rection Of increasing war expenditures
which is recruiting the ranks OF socialism
In every civilized country. In France,
Germany, Italy. Belgium and England rep
resentatives Of the workingmen are making
the stoutest opposition to increased arna-
ments, because the sorest burdens of war
always fall on workingmen.
lie Temps of Paris publishes an article
by General Langlois, the we'll known sena-
tor and military critic. In which he says
and affirms that he speaks with authority
that the idea of a military alliance be-
tween Holland and Belgium, proposed IN
1880 without success. is again being Sc
rousy considered.
He points out that, divided. Holland and
Belgium stand to be crushed out OF COM
mercial existence by the great protection
ist powers, whereas by Joining forces they
may survive. Both countries are faced by
common danger In the expansion OF
Germany. They are doomed, Belgium first
to be swallowed in the Teutonic Zoliver-
elm, to begin with. and in the Teutonic
empire afterward, unless they Join forces
to offer greater resistance.
Belgium, General Langlois says IL ready
now to discuss the terms of a complete
economic and military alliance. but Hol'
land desires to lead up to II by an agree
ment on certain points-namely, the unih-
ca ton and reduction of postal and tele-
graphic services, the establishment OF q
common railway tariff. and the enactment
OF certain judicial and economic measures
whereby the decisions of the courts OF Law
, will he valid In both countries. The houri
, OF labor and the monetary system will b,
, the same, and Industrial legislation similar
Continental publicists, especially M. Ana
tole Leroy Beaulieu. think that the new
Russian premier. NJ. stolypin, may ye
, save the situation in Russia and som'
remnant of autocratic power II he viii
, only advise the czar that the presen
policy cannot succeed. and induce him Il