The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-12
AN INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIR IMPENDING
The Apple of Discord Seems
To Be Persia
"OPEN DOOR" RIGHTS
German Press Already Referring to Re-
semblance of Persian Situation
to Moroccan Crisis Roose-
yclt's Berlin Address
"OPEN DOOR" RIGHTS
BY STEPHEN BURNETT

ihuicatlons fall, Europe will very shortly
find itself In the presence of another first
class international incident The apple of
llscord is Persia and the stormy petrol Is
germany. German pretensions with ref
erence to open door" rights under the
Anslo-Russian convention have been put
forth with the dramatic suddenness of
which Teuton policy is so fond, and are
being pressed with unmistakabe empha-
SIS Notes have been exchanged In pro-
fusion between the cabinets of London.
st. Petersburg and Berlin within the past
10 days, but no basis for satisfaction of
dermany's claims has yet revealed IT.
self
The inspired German press has already
referred to the ominous resemblance of
the Persian situation to the Moroccan
CRISIS The situations from the German
standpoint. are indeed absolutely anal
agous The raison detre, both of Ger
man ornaments and German foreign pol
icy, is unnecessarily declared to- be the
necessity of safeguarding German trade
not only trade that the fatherland has.
but trade which she hopes and aspires to
Set In the worlds few remaining open
markets, 1t was out of such considera-
lions. Germany alleged. that she threat
ened France with war over Morocco and
II there be any consistency In German
policy. she would not shrink from going
TO similar extremes for the protection of
ner endangered rights In Persia.
AS to just what these rights are. DER
man off1cialdom still leaves us In the
lark. So far we have heard of nothing
out economic aims in general as the
goal of Teuton ambition in the Shas do
mans. The representative of the
Deutsche bank, who has been looking into
ierman commercial and financial oppor-
tunities In Persia, is now on his way
lack to Berlin. The position will proba-
Ny not develop definitely until this en-
lssary, Said Ruete, ha sreported to his
superior. Meantime the vigorous diplo-
matte action which the Wilhelmstrasse
las initiated in London and ST. Peters
burg will be pursued The unexpected
ness of Germany's conduct gives rise to
Wonder whether the Kaiser's government
lid not choose what 1t considered a psy-
Geological moment for launching the Per-
Ian thunderbolt, particularly with regard
to Englands preoccupation with domestic
affairs.
Sfmpliccissimus the famous Munich
comic weekly, has been officially banned
rom the army. General Won Heeringen,
he minister of war, has issued a per-
emptory secret order-whch has become
public with alarming alacrity-prohibit-
'ng officers not only from subscribing to
Simpliccissimus but from reading II I'M
Ter any circumstances. In order to pledge
officers to obedience to the order they
were called upon to sign 1t Individually
Their honor is now rigdly engaged, and
attractions, 1t may be supposed will be
reltgiously punished.
Simpliccissimus hardly needed the SPLEEN
did advertisement the war minister's or
der has given It, The journal contrives to
yet itself confiscated with regularity, ow-
Ing to its daring caricatures of the
Kaiser and other exalted personages.
Simpliccissimus Is published In Bavaria
md Is not subject, therefore, to prosecu-
ton for lese majestic against the King of
Prussia, and 1t is accustomed to cartoon
Emepror William and other members of
the Hohenzollern dynasty with much free
lom. It's humor, when directed at august
personages, is seldom devoid of malice,
and is often downright brutal In tone;
yet Simpliccisslmus is an undoubted
actor in modern German public opinion
md the recognition of its power by the
war minister's latest order is not likely
o decrease the papers popularity or in
duence. In many quarters the expulsion
of Simpliccissimus from the army Is ridi-
.uled as a childish maneuver which re-
IF honor and propriety of the German
officer, quite apart from the manner In
which his personal liberty of conscience
is interfered with
Mr.. Roosevelt's Berlin university ad-
iress produced an interesting echo at the
annual German Evangelical-S Social con-
sress In Chemnitz. The well ?known pan
serman political economist, Prof Adolf
referring n
said:
Recently, on the historic soil of our
university we heard America praised
rom a proud mouth. But Germany has
not yet sunk so deep that a couple of
hundred millionaires can stage manage
not only our economical but our political
life To such point Germany will new
n come, because 1t adheres firmly to the
nonarchial principle
After this sally at the land of Roosevelt
Professor Wagner remarked:
NO civilized people in the world should
be so thankful ia God as the Germans,
who during the course of century have
oeen raised from the depths of need and
3hame to the sunny heights of world
oower-to a point SO eminent that the
oroudest mistress of the seas begins to
tremble before us. What a change has
God, indeed, wrought
Professor Wagner went on to explain
hat Germany's advance In science,
wealth and culture was, after all. of who'll
,y unselfsh character. "Our work., he
said," serves the world for Germany
has been the standard-bearer of religious
freedom and is now the pioneer of social
REFORM
Now that the travelling season is upon
US, it can do no harm to remind the trav-
eler of certain precautions which he will
do well not to neglect when journeying
on the continent. Very few tourists are
apt to give moments attention to the
seedy-looking man who hovers arrivals
1T railway terminus, and If he thinks
the prospect promising he follows them
the ticket window he usually calls in the
assistance of a FRIEND much better dress
ed than himself, who politely requests a
light for his cigar or asks some easily an
swered question, while the seedy-looking
Individual runs with skillful fingers
through the pockets of the unwary. A
few minutes later the traveller is turning
his pockets inside out and wondering
What on earth / did with my purse ?"
There are many other ways in which the
yoyager may have his holiday pleasure
sadly diminished through want of cir
cumspection.
If the traveller be a woman she may car
ry her pompadour with tickets and money
dependent from her waist. If SO, the sit
uation is certain to be taken advantage
of by the railway thief with a strong
pair of steel-cutting scissors. The trav-
eler, again, especially on continental COR
ridor trains, may be tempted to leave his
small hand Luggage. perhaps with valua-
BILE contents, In his compartment while
he goes to spend an hour or two in the
refreshment car, to find onNhis return that
his small luggage has disappeared beyond
retrieval Even when lodged safely, as
ne thinks, in his hotel. he will be wise to