The Washington herald., 1907-01-20

Berlin, Jan. 19-The campaign has de-
veloped into the hottest in the history of
Germany. 1t is also the most demoralized
and uncertain. for it is an indescrbable
battle. not between great parties. but be-
tween a multitude Of small cliques.
The Kaiser, fully realizing that he is
face to face with the greatest domestic
crisis Of his reign, does not hesitate 10
employ every detail In his power to in
duce or compel the country to vote i'm
perially," and the official pressure put
upon every one directly or indirectly con-
nected with the public service comes as
near compulsion as 1t is possible to
make it.
Threats and persuasion are being used
Unfortunately but there are signs Of
rising resentment against these methods.
Thus the Emperor's threat 10 boycott
Berlin IL the city is carried by the Social
lists has resulted in a Socialistlc cam
paign In Potsdam. which promises to elect
Ia Red representative IN the royal Dor
ough. The Socialists lost Potsdam in the
last election by only see This time their
opponents nominated no less than seven
candidates against Herr Liebknecht,
Socialist. who is likely to be elected.
Imperial Boycott.
The menace OF an imperial boycott also
hangs over the royal residential cities OF
Wiesbaden and Cassel. II Wiesbaden
elects a Socialist. his majesty is quoted
as saying that he will chastise the
traitorous electorate by not attending the
dedication Of their new Kurhaus, and will
also abandon his annual visits TO Wies-
baden. The royal theater at Cassel is 10
be punished by cancellation Of its annual
royal opera and dramatic cycle, which
take place there in May.
The parties for the government on the
patriotic issue are the Conservative. Ma
tional Liberal. and Radical Each is
divided into sections. The parties against
the government are the Catholic Center,
Social Democrats, and Guelphs. The
Poles. Danes. and Alsatians, anti Semites,
have govel-l-lntal leanings-
On Monday the Reds will make their
supreme effort to get their campaign lit
erature into the hands OF the voters. A
million volunteers. mostly workingmen.
viii penetrate every nook and corner of
the empire and force handbills upon every
householder. Heretofore the state railway
e employees had the courage TO help the
Socialists 10 distribute their campaign
literature, but the railway minister has
issued a decree warning every servant
not 10 render such assistance 10 enemies
OF the state" under penalty OF the Sc
veTest punishment.
Priests Allure Voters.
The Catholics will employ Sunday in a
tremendous effort TO keep their co-reli-
gionists in line Every priest in the
country will adjure his parishioners from
the pulpit to vote for the Centre. The
eleventh hour OF the Catholics win consist
OF persuasion mass meetings in their
parish the night before election The
split in their ranks Is so serious that in
one West Prussian division i've rival
Catholic candidates are fighting one an
other. The Catholics had intended 70 fire
their heaviest gun OF the campaign in
Berlin Thursday night, when Herr Err
berger was 10 have delivered a speech
arraiguing the government in the btteTest
1 language which the police censors would
permit Three thousand Catholic adj
herents had assembled when the chair
man said that the management had for
gotten 10 obtain police sanction for the
meeting. which had, therefore, 10 be aban-