The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-25
PARENTS WILL Be
GIVEN PENSIONS
Berlin Offers Bounty for Large
Families
THE EMPEROR'S HEALTH
Is Carefully Guarded From the Scru-
tiny of the PubIic-BerIin VIII
BE Seaport Town With
In Two Years
THE EMPEROR'S HEALTH

A regular scale of pensions has been
made out for the families. In addition
to their regular wages. the heads of
families of three children will receive an
extra monthly payment of So For four
children they will receive 1913; for five
children they will receive $4.50 and for
six children they will receive SIS.
set of regulations has been drawn
up, and they are being distributed among
the workingmen of Berlin.
These bounties will be paid to fathers
whose children are under 16 years of
age, and only those families who can
dependent upon them will receive the
pensions.
Later pensions are promised to the
mothers of large families, but the meas
ures providing this relief have not yet
been drawn up.
Needless to say, the outside world has
not been allowed to learn anything of
the real nature of the recent i'll health
of the German emperor, and probably it
never will. For many years past the
Germany respecting the health of the
various members of the royal family,
and especially that of the kaiser The
court physicians are changed with be-
wildering frequency, and of late the en-
peror has grown more caprieious than
ever in this direction.
An even more alarming symptom has
lately manifested itself in the general
health of the kaiser, and this is the men
tai depression that at times overtakes
him. His temper has been petulant and
irritable for several years past, and he
has been known to turn violently upon
those for whom he has expressed I'M
alterable affection only a few hours pre-
viously. Today this uncertainty of tenn
per is more pronounced than formerly,
and added to 1t are fits of depression
some of which last for a considerable
period.
When these fits are upon him he viii
move about his palace modify, and
without the least attention to what is
passing around him. He will brush past
members of his own family without the
slightest recognition; while, If he
speaks at all, 1t is only to reprove some
fault or shortcoming- or ina gined-
or to grumble because something is not
quite to his liking.
He will glance through a document of
the gravest Importance when suffering
from this depression, and then, with an
angry gesture, tear it into shreds, and
bid another document of entirely differ
ent tenor to be prepared and laid before
him. His ministers have, however, come
to know him by this time, and they wait
for more favorable opportunity, when
they approach him once more, and urge
upon him the views that led to the sub
mission of the destroyed document when
the kaiser will assent-grudngly enough
and sign precisely the same paper when
1t has been redrawn out This sort of
thing has happened on mose than one
occasion lately.
1t is not too much to say that, un-
less some cure for the physical and
mental ills which are affecting the en-
peror just now can be speedily devised,
there will be even graver news to chron-
icle concerning him before very many
more months have passed.
Within two years Berlin will be a sea-
port. 1t was announced the other day
that the ship canal from Stettin to Ber-
lin would be completed by 1872 The
canal will be ready for traffic two years
from this month
University professors throughout Ger
many are subscribing to a movement to
curtan the beer drinking among students
at the German universities. The move
ment has not yet taken tangible FORM
although number of instructors at uni
versities have spoken openly against the
evil effects of unlimited beer drinking
among the students.
Curious court sentences crop up now
and then but the sentence recently i'm
posed in the criminal court of Stuttgart
seems to surpass all others. A man was
convicted on three counts, two of MUIR
der and the third of assault He was
convicted on all three and sentenced to be
beheaded twice with a term of three
years Imprisonment thrown In.
Nearly 1000 Americans arrived at Ber-
lin in hotels and boarding houses In the
month of juneau altogether unprece-
dentedN figure. They were exceeded in
number only by the Russians, but from
the money-spending point of view the
local hotelkeeper counts one Yankee tour
list against half dozen Russians.
The American season shows no sign OF
abating. The Passion play. Richard
Strauss and the Baireuth music festivals
in Bavaria and the health resorts of
Germany and Austria continue to draw
numbers OF trans
Atlantic guests.
For the convenience of English and
Americas, who are passing through
Munich in an enormous stream this sum-
mer on their way to the Passion Play a
score of English-speaking cabdrivers and
taxicab chauffeurs have been put into
Tha1r ara Utrict o1 Ia hx,
American and British flags worn around
their sleeves. Most of the polyglot jehus
are German-Americans who have return
ed to their native land.
Much excitement has been caused in
Berlin through the report that Russian
emigrants, who are passing through the
city en- route to America, are confined
to outlying pesthouses afflicted with
Asiatic cholera. Three deaths from the
dreaded plague have already taken place
In this city. Two of these victims were
women, the third was a man.
The news that others are afflicted with
the plague has created a great deal of
unrest and the medical authorities of the
city have caused items to be published in
the papers denying that there are any
more cases of the plague extant.
1t is reported in literary circles that
the Kaiserin may turn authoress. Ac-'
cording to the vague report in circulation
the Kaiserin may prepare biographical
sketch of the late Princess Fedora
Schleswig- Holstein, the authoress, who
passed away recently.
Princess F eodora, who was unmarried,
and was always delicate, suffered from
rheumatism. Her life was spent largely
in sanatoria and health resorts. She was
the youngest sister of the Kaiserin who
for several years has been much con-