New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-03
THE COMMITTEE IGNORED.

Tho Federal Committee on forel5h
Relations was never summoned or con-
suited from the time of the constitution
- the empire. in 1871. until the fall oil
bismarck. some twenty years later
since the present Kaiser has been Oh Ile
throne he has summoned II out ohce'
and unless / am very much mistaken
PRINCE Ruel1v affected 10 ignore II alto
qcther This. Of course, has been strong
~ resented by the non-Prussian STATES
~ the Confederation, particularly by Ba-
varia Wiirtemberg and SaXony Ihese
s+atas have furnished a striking illustra-
tior of their sentiments in the matter
nv encouraging foreign powers 10 MAIN
. tain independent legations in their cap
irals. and in some instances by MAINTAIN
;n, automatic missions cf their own
abroad.
Thus Bavaria has a full-nedged iega-
TO, IN charge of minister plenipoten-
fairy at ST. Petersburg wholly lhu'
nandent of the German Embassy. enc
cleo has q minister plenipotenuary OF
hor on,n and a full-hedged legation IN
por;s. two at Rome-one accredited 10
.bo IN. irinal and the other 10 the Nau-
can-and also at Berne, the caplld' u
Switzerland. France, Great Britain
italy. Russia and even Austria al MAN
tain independent legations in charge Oh
minister's pIenipotentiary at Munich; also
~ stuttgart and at Dresden "hie
Prince Bismarck was wont TO dehoul'e
tho Russian legations at Darmstau'' anu
,,r,rerIv at Mecklenburg- Schwerin' as
ID, boodouarters of Russian anti-Teuton
intrigue in Germany.
The Kaiser. like Prince Bismarck Oe-
fore him. resents strongly the action Oh
the foreign powers in maintaining iuh-
aedged legations accredited 10 other "e'
man courts than his own, and IN the
Game wav strongly objects TO the Ger
man courts in question reciprocaung uhe
courtesy by retaining resident MISSIONS
of their own abroad. Basing himseh on
Article NJ of the constitution. WHICH ue
clares that the Emperor shdh repre-
cont rhe empire among nations enter
into alliances and other conventions WIN
foreign countries. accredit ambassadors
and receive them" William holds that
rho diplomatic relations of the various
states of the confederation should all
mass through his personally appointed
nina ssadors and envoys-that is 10 say,
through the Berlin department OF for-
eign Affairs-and that the only foreign
dinlomatic missions in Germany shouiu
ho those accredited 10 his own court. lie
cannot understand why Russia, France
and England should wish 20 maintain m
dsnsndent legations at Munich. save Tor
tho purpose Of stirring M trouble and
discord between the Bavarian govern
ment and himself.
The non Prussian German states reply
~ those circumstances on his part that
while the constitution bestoUs upon nm
tho right to name the ambassadors or
the German Empire and to receive those
accredited TO tie empire by the foreign
Lowers. there is nothing in any part of
the constitution which debars them from
maintaining Independent diplomatic re-
lations with foreign powers, and that
being sovereign states, equal In rank 10
Prussia-allies of the latter and In no
sense vassals-they enjoy 10 the tullest
extent their sovereign prerogatiVes OF
carving On diplomatic Intercourse OF
their own with foreign powers ihuepen-
IDENTIFY Of the Berlin Foreign ONCE Ihey
are all th. more determined about the
,,..,er since they see therein a manner
o. emphasizing the fact that they are
sovereign instead of vassai states ana
means of resisting the continual ana IN
evitable encrcachment OF Prussia upon
their sovereign prerogatives.