Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06
GERMANY AROUSED
Country in State of Excitement
Over Coming Election.
PEOPLE IN AN UGLY MOOD
Kaiser Wanted to Issue Lurid Cam
paign Manifesto.
DISSUADED BY Won BUELOW
PEOPLE IN AN UGLY MOOD
DIssUADED BY Won BUEL0W
Government Leaders Doubt Wisdom
of Dissolving Reichstag-Sociaiists
Expected to Win by Big Vote.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
BERLIN. January 5.-The kaiser hopes
to carry the country and capture a pa
trfotic' reichstag within six weeks He has
set January % as election day According
to trustworthy Information the emperor was
on the verge of .intruding his picturesque
and virile personality into the fight. He
was anxious to issue a lurid manifesto to
his people urging them to vote imperially'
and to smash the sedtious and unholy al
lance between the Catholics and the social
lists, who appear to be obstructing his path
to worid-gory.
He was only dissuaded by Prin Won
Buelow and other counselors, who pointed
out that such an innovation would be Bit
terly resented, especially by the liberal ele-
ment without whose support the govern
ments case is hopeless. and that that sup
port would be alienated at stoke by i'm
porting the ears ukase methods into more
or less liberated Germany. 1t has been de-
cfded instead that the government shall
issue an election address to the people ask
Ing them to support the patriotic" candi-
dates.
May Set Vote Aside.
A few days of calm retrospect have filed
the government leaders with the gravest
doubts as to the wisdom of dissolving the
reichstag a a moment when the country is
rocking with discomfort. It is positively
Known that the leaders do not cherish much
confidence that the reichstag to be selected
will be whit more tractable than the pres
ent reichstaG.
This fear is exposed in a statement by a
prominent south German newspaper to the
effect that Prince Won Buelow will not
hesitate in the event of defeat to tear the
ballots Of January p into Shreds and ap-
peal to the country second time. The
constitution permits the repetition of such
a process indefinitely. but a revolution
would almost inevitably be the fiouted
country's answer If the governments dis
guest with the electorate became simple
defiance.
Current report absolves Prince Won Bue
low Of any such intention. 1t IS reported
that he would consider a government de-
feat at the polls tantamount to his own
political death warrant. and would sum-
marily abdicate the CHARACTERISTIC. Some
wild talk is in circulation, but saner judges
cannot conceive that the kaiser will dream
of anything more radical than the abo-
ition of universal suffrage
Ablaze With Excitement
The empire is now ablaze with campaign
excitement. All parties have issued their
calls to battle and appeals for election
expenses. The government Is making fran
tic petitions to voters to sink petty diff
ferences and to stand shoulder to shoulder
for broad national ideals. There is almost
universal expectation that the socialists
will win heavily. and that the Catholics.
whom the government dislikes. Will simply
make way for the socialists, whom the
government despises.
Notwithstanding the fact that the coun-
try Is undoubtedly at the zenith Of an I'M
precedented prosperity. the increased cost
Of living. the colonial scandals. the eccen-
tricities Of the kaiser. Germany's uncom-
Portable foreign position, police injustice
and heavy taxes combine to put the cleo
torate into the ugliest mood 1t has shown
for generations. Social democracy as the
only consistent party opposition will hardly
fall to reap the benefits of this winter of
discomfort.