The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-11-20
THE FRENCH ARE
WATCHING BELGIUM
Does Not Like Latter's Aztec
tion for Germany
SOCIALISTS ARE BEATEN
Spectacular Escape From France
md Is Now an Exile In
Belgium

/
lions of Germany. The recent visit of the
Kaiser to Brussels was not of the ordi-
nary character. The attentions paid to
his imperial majesty left no doubt as to
Belgam's sentiments, and France has
now another section of her frontier to
keep a. sharp eye on.
The astonishing thing Is the reckless
way in which affairs of such import are
dealt with in the public organs. One
Paris paper actually revealed in the
thought that the Kaiser would be de-
barred from visiting the French section
of the exhibition because it was French
territory.
What conceivable purpose can be served
in thus founting a great monarchy.
What has become of the policy of ap-
proachment M Pichon only few months
ago was glad to acknowledge? On all
sides France Is hemmed in by German in
fuences, and yet takes so little pains to
dsarm ill-feeling.
| If It be true what is being whispered
In Paris. Herr Won Kiderlin- Wacchter,
the German foreign minister, will be the
next chancellor of the empire. 1t Is said
that he is man OF the Bismarck type,
and an adept in foreign questions. AL
ready he is allowed the absolute control
of his department. The rapid moves of
4 Germany of late are explained.
The outlook for France is not gay, un-
der the circumstances: the immunity of
the past is no guarantee for the future
| Friction between the two countries can
n ba
it seems to me, is not making the path
Of the Quai dOrsay smoother.
The socialists have been badly beaten
in the chamber, and have got no sort of
satisfaction out OF their interpretations oil
the strike. But one never knows the
heart of the electorate which sends these
men to parliament: they may be delight
ed with the exhibition of bad manners,
which consists in hurting abuse at the
project OF police and N. BRAND. N.
Brands defence was mastery, but am
bound to say that great deal OF elo-
| Quence exists among the socialists, and
that they have an astonishingly trenchant
way of dealing with the political past OF
the premier, particularly In picturesque
passages where he advised direct ac-
ton" on the part of the proletariat. But
this was long ago, and such things are to
/ counted among the sins of his youth.
! 1t is not at all unlikely that he will go
j down to posterity as conservative
| statesman, just as M Clemenceau,
| though mayor of Montmartre during the
commune, proved in office prudent and
| careful Responsibility, indeed, brings
caution, and NJ. Jaures and the other de-
tractors OF the premier would have to
! follow his example. II they were face TO
face with the practical difficulties of adj
ministratien.
| Every one feels that the cup of anarchy
is filed. There has been enough bomb
| throwing and outrages during the strike
and Immediately after 1t to last life
| time. These things must stop, and the
way to stop them Is to promote concilli-
alton between the companies and their
men by providing the machinery of arbi-
ltration.. and to render it penal offence
| to incte the working classes to acts OF
sabotage. Under this head comes the
Revolutionary Press, which is astrocous
| in its language. The Confederation Gen.
erale du Travail is careful not to pro-
woke suppression by appearing collec-
lively. to countenance sabotage; at the
same time the individual members of the
redoubtable Council of Tenor Inner Cao-
| met OF Revolutionary constant in
preaching violence, and, unless they put
their signatures to anti-miltarists plac-
ards, no one seems to be able to touch
them. These things are to be remedied
| Phryme has been whitewashed by the
Academic Franchise, but do not tninK
anybody is grateful for the process. Ac-
cording to a member of the learned For
| ty, the classic courtesan, when she plead
ed her cause before the Arepagus at
Athens, did not trouble the minds of her
judges by. exhibiting her person beau
teous as one of the statues Of her ad-
mirer Praxiteles. There is not a word of
this gesture in the evidence of the day,
and, indeed there is reason to believe
| that this was quite contrary to her
genre" Her dresses were Tanagra and
had nothing deeolletee about them, and
she was not likely to allow her lawyer to
rend her wells to give extra point to his
special pleading.
Phryne adopted a subtler, but safer
course. She went to interview the jury
herself, and smiled at them with her
wonderful eyes until they were perfectly
convinced of her innocence and acquitted
her In court. Like Socrates. she was ac-
cused of impiety. of doubling the exist
ence Of the gods. She was given away by
ruthias who had been her lover--the
r-ean dog. But while Socrates was ugly
and was only man. Phryne had the adj
vantage. of being beautiful and a woman.
Hence she escaped in those susceptible
times Instead of swallowing the fatal
coup" 1t was her coup that saved her
according to an incorrigible French
humorst.
A remarkable will case has Just been
decided in the civil tribunal of the Seine.
Nine de Rainneville who died in Paris
| two years ago, left her fortune of 100000
| to the pope. In a second will she left
her money to the Archbishop of Paris.
On her death the archbishop refused to
touch the fortune. The state would have
| profited by this refusal. but the family
stepped in, claiming, through counsel
| that Nine de Rainnevile had left her
| fortune to the archbishop In order to
| show her sympathy with the banished
monks and nuns.
| In her will, Nine. de Rainnevile ex-
pressed the fear that as the monks and
nuns had been driven out of France and
schools and asylums and converts shut |
up, the churches would shortly be closed |
and Christians and priests would probably |
be burnt at the stake. Several of her |
letters We're produced during the hearing |
of the case. In them she criticised the |
gov ernment in violent terms speaking |
of ministers as chose people without |
country who govern us-blocards. Drey- |
fusards and Vadecardi.'
Her horror of the social situation was |
renewed every year on May ]. In case OF |
riots she made all arrangements to es-
cape from the capital. Her fortune was
placed in a London. bank, and boat was
in readiness to convey her to English |
waters.
The court found that the state could |