The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-31
LOOK TO new YEAR {.
WITH GRAVE FEAR
Nobility Of Germany Afraid Of
What Next Twelve Months
May Bring.
HOPE FOR DoWN-TRoDDEN
People in Two Weeks Will Be
Own Masters at the
Polls.
by rnEpEnIck WERNER.

ny
Berlin, December 3O-In twenty
four hours all shc church bells OF
Berlin Will again chime In the New
Year. which Is looked forward TO with
SO much fear by the nobility and HER
archy. and with n corresponding
amount of hope by the down-troudcn.
tax-ridden masses of the people. We
are stanains on the threshold of 1919
Mh'ch' IL has been prophescd, marks
,he turning point in the history. of tho
fiohenzollern family and Of tho en-
pire E'igurativoly speaking, Ger
many is at present like an immenseIv
swift, deep and broad river; its sur
race is c@:Th and unrufrled, but beneath
the smoothness the gigantic strcan,
is rushing forward toward the great
Mhiripools OF The election of January
~, which may capsazc many a proud
political vessel.
Two weeks from nov the German
people VIII be the masters or their
own destiny at the polls. They have IL
IN their power to crush those who
nave for years been piling on heavier
burdens. and no one doubts that they
VIII make use of their powcr-tbat
democracy will make mighty stride
or~ard--through political evolution.
peacefully and without rancor. Mill
tarism and Bureaucracy NAV rccciye
safe in the hands of It's citizens and
the general political situation In Ell.
rope Will Improve as u result OF tho
coming elections.
ASIDE from the war in TrIpoIi. the
only dark spot on the internation,I
SKY Is the fact that Russia's reported
intentions in regard to the Dardunellcs
IS causing considerable uneasiness In
Constanttnoplc.
Russia has chosen the PSYCHOLOGISTS,
moRlent for raising this old Question
A question of vital Importance 10 IN.
Gar 8 empire and she is now employ
ing all tho means at her disposal to
nave 1t solved congruously with her
interests. Her posnt OF view is sim
pie. She demands a free Massage
through the straits for her warships
In time OF peace.
"A privilege for Russia?" ask the
Turks.
No. not for Russia only" replies
the Cars ambassador, who thereupon
formulates a principle which wnm,d
entail this privilege, but without the
cNciusiVencss. He asks that all these
powers whose territories arc washed
by the Black Sea or the strait sboult
enjoy tnat right to the exclusion OF
all other states-all without cSception.
Bulgaria and Rouman!a therefore. II
they should build warships, may take
o ouenn through the straits as we'll as
Turkey and Russia.
Every leading Turkish statesman as
aerts that Turkey Will never acccde 10
Russla's demands and that she Is even
prevented from discussing them at all
iirst because the London protocol Is
oinoinS upon all the signatory powers
"iIoout exception and, therefore no
Two OF these powers can dispcns.
themselves from observing It's s,ipu-
lations. and then because the Berlin
congress went further and bound Tur-
hey ana Russia each one in respect to
every other power. For this reason
the Porte cannot consent TO listen =,
Russia's proposal which would plainly
constitute breach OF treaty opliSa.
ton.
prominent Turkish statesman,
the virtual leader of the Ottoman
foreign policy. said few days ago:
II the freedom OF the straits were
accorded TO Russia, Turkey would he
come 'Pcrsianized' forthwith. At present
the ottoman empire Is independent.
but not absolutely. So long as rho
combinations and Dette Publique re-
a, we snail be struggling towards
run independence. But II We allowed
Russia TO overawe us with her war-
ships passing slowly before the paIaS.
Oh our sultan and to put Irresistible
pressure on the Sublime Porte whom
ever knotty question or u fateful DIFF.
ference arose between us, we should
DC putting moose round our necks
with our eyes wide open. The otto-
man empire would become dencnd-
ehcy or the Carbon. That is WHY we
declhne to entertain the notion"
some Instructive articles in the vi
emma Tageblatt on the prices of food-
stuIs in Austria show that the prices
OF meat and many other ncccssa,ics
are much higher than in any other
European country; that the wages OF
Workmcn and officials are no longer
In harmony with the increased cost
or living; and that without a. revision
of the commercial treatIes-that is.
without an abolition or considerable
reduction in protective duties-,he
dcarness OF provisions cannot be
stopped.
The Vienna schoolmasters arc now.
declaring that they and their fami-
lies cannot be supported on their
present pay. and demand 90 per cent
increase.
further proof Of the pernicious
consequences OF the prevailing dear
ness Of necessities is furnished by the
figures published by the municipality
that the birth rate OF Vienna Is stead
lily decreasing. 1t dropped from $4,000
In 1900 to $4,000 in 1910. whilst at a.
recent meeting of the Association of
Nurses here the statement was made
that the death ratio among infants is
ty,n- 81