The Washington herald., 1909-03-28

problems that demand solution in the
Old World is that OF dealing with the
ever-increasing number OF indigent mem
bers Of the aristOeracy. It Is difficulty
which the people OF the United States
have not yet been called upon TO face.
and yet which IS bound in course OF time
10 arise, since no patriotic American
would rest easy in the knowledge that
men bearing the names OF those who have
contributed the most glorious pages to
the history Of this country were reduced
70 such poverty as to be forced 10 beg
their bread
In Europe the problem has reached an
acute stage. During the past two or three
generations the rising tide Of democracy
has swept away the hereditary privileges
and prerogatives OF the aristocracy with
such raptsity that the members OF the
latter have not yet had time TO fashion
their methods OF existence 10 the new
order OF things.
II formerly trade. commerce. industry.
and the learned professions, such as those
OF physician. architect. engineer, &c.
were regarded as derOgatOry to the sclons
hand there were certain calIings. such as
those Of officers OF the army and navy
and OF the diplomatic corps. which were
reserved entirely for their use. being
barred TO persons OF bourgeois origin.
This exclusiveness has now been abol-
ished. and while sons Of the people are
crowding the aristocracy out OF the serv-
ices above mentioned 10 such an extent
that one OF the crack regiments of British
cavalry is now known as the Trades
Union" owing to the number OF sons Of
wholesale and retail merchants by whom
Il Is commanded. the titled classes are
both by training and caste prejudice as
yet untitled 10 compete successfully with
their social interiors in the great race
for life and subsistence.
The consequence is that they fall in
large numbers by the wayslde. and re
main dependent upon the charity of some
chance Samaritan TO rescue them from
the gutter or worse.
II is with the object Of dealing with
,ases Of this kind that an association has
been organized in the dominions OF EN-
peror William that is known as the
'Deutscher delsgenossenschaft," or So
ciety OF German Mobiles. r=ith the En-
press only brother. Duke Ernest Gunther
Of Schleswig-iIolstein as chairman. and a
minister Of state, Count William Wedel.
as chairman OF the executive committee.
II has just been holding its annual
meeting in the PTussian capital. and mem
bers gathered from all parts Of Germany
10 the number VI several thousand, IN
order 10 take part In the deliberations.
An impression prevails In many quarters
that the object OF the association is the
protection and maintenance Of such of the
old prerogatives Of the nobility that have
survived the numerous onslaughts OF
modern democracy This IS not the case
The chief aim OF the society which has
been in existence for some years is the
relief Of the misery and destitution of
members OF the aristocracy. in cases
where the sufferers are the victims Of un-
deserved misfortune
The society seeks 20 place those who
have fallen once more upon their feet
with the possibility. II not Of retrieving
fortune, at any rate OF earning an hon
orable livelihood. and also 10 assure a
future 70 the orphans who have been
left without any provision for their vel
fare, and 20 furnish comfortable homes
for those who either through malady or
through old age would otherwise become
lilN pDlcNLS OF pEuptr rellef.
or course. other considerations are men
TONED In the articles of association Of
the Deutscher Adelsgenossenschaft a. de-
sirable. ramely. the careful education Of
the Children Of mobiles. in such way
that they may be loyal 10 their Creator.
10 their sovereign. and 10 their Father
land. and may be imbue6 with sentiments
Or kindly consideration for people in snb-
ordinate positions. while another phase
3f tho activity OF the society is the pre-
vention or the sale Of ancestral estates
and territorial holdings. by the advance
Of loans to those -nobles who are in need
Of financial assistance.
No end OF good has been accomplished
by the association during the relatively
brief period Of its existence-an existence
which owes its origin 10 a great extent
10 the initiative Of Emperor William.
During the last two years II has re-
oeiyed from an anonymous donor a gift
OF $1,000 and from the wealthy wife Of
former secretary OF embassy. of tbe
name OF Wolf Won Tumpling. two large.
roomy, and comfortably furnished cha
teauX. with environing. self-supporting
landed estates situated I'm the Duchv of
Saxe-Altenburg.
One Of them, namely. the Chateau of
Lobichau, IS now occupied by twenty no. |
bic ladies. who. under the direction of a !
lady prioress, find there home in keen |
ing with their rank and birth. until their
death OF marriage The other chateau.
near by. has been converted into a school |
for orphaned girls Of the aristocracy. |
who arc brought up there wholly free Of |
charge and so educated as 70 NJ them
either for marriage or for the earning Of /
a respectable livelihood.
The work Of this most useful assocfa-
tion is supplemented by the so-called
family associations Of the German no |
bility.
Within the last twenty or thirty years
numbers Of the houses Of the Teuton ar |
istocracy have formed family corpora
tions, in which all the adult members OF ]
the clan have a seat and a vote The Dur
pose Of these societies is to devise meas
ures for the safeguarding Of the honor
and the prestige of the family. and to
provide for those OF its members vino
have come TO grief
Emperor William has fostered the i
growth Of these associations by author- /
izing several OF them to elect one Of their /
members to represent IL in the Prussian 1
House OF Lords Thus. the legislative
delegate Of the House OF Buelow. which /
held its annual meeting at Berlin in the
early part OF the present month. under
the presidency OF Prince Won BueIoy. Is /
the prince himself. who sits IN the Prus- /
sian Herrenhaus, or chamber of peers
not as chancellor Of the empire. but as
the elected representative OF the BueIow /
family.
me Buelows are very numerous. There /
are nearly 300 adults, which Is. after all. /
not excessive, when one recalls the fact
that this family has been playing an i'm /
portant role in German history for the