Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-30
1.-THE
)GERMAN
ADVANCE

Berlin, August 13.-The forces that
two-score quarreling states into a united
empire; that have built up wonderful
Industrial machine in a land where agri-
culture and the handicrafts were so late
~ the only forces OF productions; that
have hidden the provincial Prussian town
Of Berlin under the magnificence OF this
gay capital. also have worked q great
change in the everyday habits OF life
among the German people. They are no
lbnger content with simple comforts
they demand luxury and righteousness
II is perhaps not going too far to say
that the leaders of the German people
the thinking men of the nation-fear the
growth of luxuriousness more than they
do any subversive school OF political
thought, whether it be ultra-socialistic
or ultra-conservative. The kaiser. who is
the political captain as well as the titular
ruler OF the empire. never fails to take
advantage OF every opportunity to i'm
press upon his people the necessity OF
frugal thrift and the danger of extrava-
CANT prodigality.
OF course. the kaiser, as the personal
representative of God, does not believe
that he should be limited I'm his desire to
crafty his taste for pomp and pageantry.
He thinks that the nation should support
Its monarch In a style as sumptuous ar
possible. But he deplores the fact that
his people have forsaken the old ideals of
simplicity and thrift. He has forgotten
that his own great-grandfather. King of
Prussia. used to go down to the market
stalls on Christmas eve with the children
OF the royal family to buy gingerbread
and sweetmeats for the palace Christmas
tree. And, like the kaiser. almost every
German is willing to deplore the growth
Of luxurious tastes in all classes of the
German people except his own.
The army, perhaps, Is the only consid-
cradle section Of the German social fabric
which has not
Army Men Continue been affected
to Live Simple Life. change gee in Ger Ger.
man habits. The pay of army offers
is very small. and 1t has not been ad-
vanced to keep up with the steadily in
creasing cost Of living, and therefore
the officers must of necessity practice that
strict economy deemed so necessary by
It's supreme commanders. The Spartan
simplicity of the great Won Moltke is held
up for the emulation of all German
soldiers. The great field marshal until
the end of his days allowed but SIS a
month for his housekeeping expenses. and
IL that sum was exhausted his guests
went hungry. 1t is almost a classical
proverb In Germany that 1.-THE battle win
ner was saving Of candles"
Officers messes a few years ago began
to vie with each other in furnishing ex-
pensive food and drink for the delectation
of the imperial palate whenever the
kaiser was pleased to dine with them
This so displeased him that he issued
solemn cabinet order declaring that luxu-
robustness in army entertainments prepar-
ed for him would offend and not f1atter:
The result was return to the rigid
economy and almost parsimonious SIM
plicity of the old days when Won Moltke
was a live military commander and not
ghostly hero.
So alarming is the luxurious tendency
that q year or two ago the imperial chan
cellor in the reichstag felt II necessary
to issue a solemn warning to the nation
against the sins of extravaganza. Prince
Won Buelow charged the people with hav-
ing abandoned the discipline OF deniaf
and he warned them that that glorious
national character which had made posi-
BILE the great German successes OF the
nineteenth century was built on the
foundation of self-denfal. and that IL
now was In great danger OF being under
mined and destroyed by Indulgence. 1t
was In this speech-in the debate on the
bill to raise S125. 900 additional taxes
each year to satisfy the German appetite
for battleships-that the chancellor said
that everybody in Germany must re-
trench A socialist member. calling at
tention to the inordinate love of display
which has characterized the rule OF the
present emperor. asked the chancellor:
''EverybodyT' But the chancellor was In
earnest and he instantly responded: Yes.
I except nobody" The result was. not
that the kaiser was forced to retrench.
but that the reichstag did refuse to grant
him an additional 100000 year. which
he had asked, the better to maintain his
fifty-four royal palaces. hts ocean-going
yacht, his elaborate special trains, and
his great collection Of high-power auto
mobiles. The kaiser's preaching for once
was acted upon.
But OF course the chancellor's solemn
warning as we'll as those Of the kaiser
and I h e
Chancellor's Warning leading CO
Accomplished Nothing. phiios
piers accomplished nothing. Indeed, 1t was
said that the retrenchment speech was