Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-10
Demand Made That Personal
Policies Be Stopped.
HARMFUL TO THE NATION
Herr Bassermann Declares Emperor
Has Been Badly Informed.
HINT MADE OF TREASON
Socialist Says Emperor's Act in An
ether Country Would Call for
Trial Before Tribunal.

In the German reichstag today
Emperor William was severely
scored by national-liberal leaders
for his recently published inter.
view, Herr Bassermann asserting
that Germany's foreign relations
had been injured and declaring
that there ought to be an END
to imperial personal policies ane
interference" A socialist mem
Der declared that if another serv
ant OF the state had done what
the emperor had done he would
be summoned before a high tri
bunal and tried for treason.
BERLIN. November 1O.-The opening o.
the debate in the reichstag today on EN-
peror Williams interview as published il
the London Daily Telegraph found tn,
chamber fuller than 1t ever has been be
! fore on the occasion Of an important DO
litical event. All the ministers. excepting
Foreign Secretary Won Schoen, were pres
ent. the royal. diplomatic and public gal
leries were crowded and there was not a
vacant seat on the members benches.
The interpretations regarding this inter
view. which has been characterized as
highly indiscreet, were taken up at once
Herr Bassermann. national-liberal, opened
the debate. He expressed a hearty desire
Tor the continuance of friendly relations
with foreign countries and said he be-
lieved that very small proportion of the
German people was unfriendly to Great
Britain. The personal element in foreign
politics was dangerous. he declared, and
the higher a man stood the greater care
ne should take of his utterances. Re-
Sponsible officers should examine his re-
marks. National-liberals did not desire
the resignation of Chancellor Won Buelow,
but they did want the elimination of the
personal element from the conduct of for
eign affairs, as its continuance was bound
to bring failure.
German Prestige Damaged.
Continuing, Herr Basserman recited the
evil effects of the emperor's utterances.
He said that China. Japan and America
had taken note of the fact that the Ger
man fleet had been authoritatively de-
scribed as designed for action in the
Pacific. The Japanese press had been in
an uproar over this declaration, Great
Britain had been stirred to greater naval
become worse with well-nigh all the prin-
cipal powers. especially France, Russia,
Great Britain and Japan.
There ought TO be an end, he said, to
imperial personal policies and interference
with the responsibilities of the chancellor,
such as had been manifested recently in
the Tower-Hill and the TWeedmouth af-
fairs. Practically the entire German peo-
pie was of one mind concerning the rulp-
Gus effects of direct imperial interference
in the foreign affairs of the empire.
Loyal monarchists could only regret that
damage had been done the monarchical
principle. especially at time when a
strong republican party had grown up
This statement was greeted with applause
from the socialists.
Declares Kaiser Badly Informed.
The emperor is very badly informed
the speaker continued. when he says that
the German people are hostile to Great
Britain. II has been affirmed hundred
times in this house that our fleet is not
aimed at Great Britain, that ii IS solely
q defensive precaution for the protec-
, tion of our coasts. our merchant marine
and our ports. We have never hearC
before we who passed the naval pro-
gram that the fleet was intended fol
action in the Pacific in furtherance of q
world polity. This statement must bt
absolutely denied along with the Other
imperial utterances.
The publication of this imperial decla
ration Is not the worst feature of the
incident. Herr Bassermann said. This is
the fact that these opinions are held and
passed from mouth to mouth. No one
knows how many similar conversations
with foreigners repose among the ar
chives of other governments. They al
are in contrayention of article seventeen
OF the constitution. which provides tha
imperial acts in foreign affairs must be
countersigned by the chancellor.
Wants Guarantee Against Interfer-
ence.
In conclusion Herr Bassermann said
that the national liberals did not demand
the resignation of Chancellor Won Buelow
but they did insist upon some sort of
guarantee that the chancellor would
guard his constitutional prerogatives and
resist unconstitutional Interference from
the emperor. The party was loyal to the
emperor and knew that he had been
actuated only by good motives. but il de-
plored the possibility OF chasm between
the sovereign and the people and sincerely
hoped that this incident would be the be-
ginning of a strict observance of consti-
tutional relations.
Herr Bassermann was followed by Herr
Wiener. radical. who said in part:
we regretted greatly the incident over
the appointment OF David Jayne Hill 10
the post of the American ambassador in
Berlin. tending as il did to disturb the
good relations between the United States
and Germany. 1t was well said on the
other side of the ocean that our repre-
sentatives abroad shall not be check
books, but men This statement brought
out applause.
Socialist Talks of Treason.
Herr Singer. socialist. declared that
Germany had sunk low in foreign opinion
through the incapacity and levity OF per-
sons In responsible places. In the con-
stitutional system Of Germany the kin,
was the first servant OF the state. h,
declared, and il another servant OF the
state had done such thing as has En-
peror William he would be brought be
fore an imperial court for trial.
The speaker explained that he referred
to the trial for treason of Prof Geffker
for publishing the diary Of Frederick Ill
Herr Singers speech was greeted by SO
~ialist appiauSe.