Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-22


macy.
Before Herr Won Schoen spoke the
committee unanimously adopted a reso-
luton that the secretary of states COM
mupication should be regarded as strict
ly confidential. All the members pledged
themselves to maintain secrecy with re-
gard to 1t.
Herr Won Schoen. at the conclusion Of
his statement. added that he had only
spoken SO freely on the distinct under
standing that he was making private
and confidential communication, being
certain that any indiscretion was abso-
lutely out of the question in so distin-
guished an assembly.
All Promised to Keep Secret.
The leader of the clerical party. DR..
SPAIN. who presided at the meeting Of
the committee. thereupon assured Herr
Won Schoen that all the members had
fully understood they had been listen
ing to confidential statement, so that
they would maintain absolute secrecy.
On the following day the Neue Freie
in which the confidential communication
made by Herr Won Schoen to the budget
committee was poduced at large extent
The publication of these diplomatic secrets
by the Vienna newspaper seriously en-
barrassed the German government, as
trayed to foreign countries.
A dramatic development occurred on
Tuesday. when the committee met again.
Baron Hertling, who presided. read the
whole article from the Neue Freie Presse
to the members, and called attention to
the fact that grave breach of confidence
had been perpetrated.
The members of the committee agreed
with this expression of opinion. 1t was
evident the article could only have been
~ hryo NJ NIT.
tee who had carefully listened to Herr
Won Schoen's exhaustive statement. Sew
eral deputies suggested that they should
ask every single member of the commit
tee publicly to give his word OF honor
that he had not perpetrated this breach
of confidence.
1t was pointed out that the offense
would have been serious enough If the
publication had taken place In a German
newspaper. but was doubly serious in
view of the fact that secret information
had been betrayed to a foreign news
paper.
The members of the committee there
upon rose and declared, one after another.
that they had nothing whatever to do
with the publication in Vienna. Herr Won
Schoen himself also rose and declared
that neither he nor the foreign office had
impaired this information to any news
paper or press representative. The ste
nographer who attends the sittings to
word Of honor that he had not betrayed
the secret.
Socialist Deputy Missing.
When every person present had thus
solemnly repudiated any connection with
this betrayal Of state secrets a con-
sentative deputy drew attention to the
fact that Herr Noske. q socialist member
of the reichstag, who had been present
90 thn
had made notes He also pointed out
that Herr Noske had been present at
the current sitting, but that he had left
the room when the betrayal Of the Sc
crets came under discussion.
Messages were Immediately dispatched
in search Of Herr Noske to summon him
to the presence of the committee. Herr
Noske presently reappeared In the COM
mittee room and reluctantly admitted he
in the Neue Preie Presse. He declared.
however, that he had acted in good faith
not having been aware that the tnforma-
ton contained in his article was intend
ed to be kept secret. He expressed deep
regret and begged the committee to par
don his error.
The committee thereupon resolved to
keep the whole affair secret in order to
preserve the good name and prestige of
the reichstag. Moreover members of the
tain secrecy regarding the entire Incl
dent. so that the unpleasant affair might
be forgotten as soon as possible.
The establishment Of the members Of
the committee may therefore be judged
when, several days later, the principal
organ Of the socialist party, the Vor-
waerts, drew attention to the fact that
the secretary Of state for foreign affairs
Herr Won Schoen. had divulged important
information which had been commune
co. cd to lon MAJ hyyf d.,
discretion Of a prominent member of the
reichstag.
Under these circumstances the mem
bers Of the budget committee rescinded
their decision Tuesday and determined
to publish all the circumstances Of the
case.
Herr Noskes betrayal Of state secrets
has caused considerable uneasiness among
the patriotic parties. because the social
lists belong to several parliamentary COM
mittees. where the most important naval,
military and diplomatic secrets are i'm
parted to parliamentary representatives.
1t Is alleged that other cases are on
record where socialist members of the
reichstag have been detected In commune
eating confidential information to social
lists of other countries.
This scandal raises the question whethe
1t Is advisable to make confidential COM
munications regarding state secrets in the
presence of socialists who value their al
airy cause more highly than their patri-
otto duty to their own country.
New Diamond Fields.
Advices from Luderitzbucht, German
southwest Africa. say that ten miles in
land from that town. now the southern
seaport of German southwest Africa, lie
the recently discovered diamond fields OF
Damaraland, which have aroused extra
ordinary interest. The profusion Of dia-
monds lying strewn on the surface of
the ground. coming from no one knew
where, presented at first geological
puzzle extraordinary and altogether baf-
fling.
The secret has been discovered, after
long and exhaustive investigation. by the
most celebrated of South African eco
nomic biologists, Mr.. M. e. Frames.
FIGS, Of johannesburg. His decision
may be taken as final in matters OF this
sort.
The diamonds are found in an mex
pressibly desolate country-over the sur
face of which Death himself seems to
brood. 1t is q veritable land of desola-
ton No living thing existed there till
there came the diamond seekers, for the
land itself is dead.
There is no water: there Is never rain.
Mile after mile stretches. tossed into ir-
regular low hills and valleys. a petrified
aenan ~ Sand and rock Gutr1in ,,D tho