The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30
Old World News Flashed by Cableto The Dispatr

state, which has boon fought to an
end In France and Portugal. and which
Is now threatening tho peace of Spain.
must soon come to q head in Germany
too iIFn -
Th9viotory of the Vatican. compelling
tho kaisor to stay away from tho cele.
bration OF tho nftieth annivcrsity Of
tho FREQ Klngd ON OF Italy and sond
tho crown prlnoo in his place. viii DO
Germany. whore the people are exceed
ingly bitter against the priests whom,
they say, have perslstently fought
against all progress.
At present 1t certainly looks as II
tho Vatican, oven In Prussia, is increas.
ing In power, and tho Prussian Minis
ter OF Cult and Education Is exceeding
~ careful not to do anything to offend
tho Clerical party, out an election Is
coming this fall. whioh Will sec the
END OF the influence OF tho Clerical
party which has long ago lost It's grin
on the masses Of tho German people.
The German authorities, who find
themselves unable to make the Kaiser's
criminally inclined subjects reform and
mend their evil ways. desire to sec the
whipping post reintroduced in Ger
many, and lively discussion is going
on In the prcss as to whether n Ger
man subject. even when a criminal.
should be subjected to corporal punish
mcnt outside the army, where the nom
commissioned officers arc implanting
patriotism and military discipline tina
way every day.
What strikes a foreign newspaper
man the most In this discussion, Is
tho fact that his German colleagues
seem TO be cruel and heartless lot.
for, with the Socialists as the only cx-
ception. they all agree that Germans
who do not voluntarily choose TO be
good law-nbidins citizens should be
submitted to actual torture. and that
the whipping post Is really only to be
claKsed with other means OF gentle
persuasion
The we'll known liberal paper, Ber-
liner Boersenzeitung, says editorially:
we do not recommend the whipping
post, which Is rather old fashion ID
FORM OF punishment. but propose that
refractory criminals should be sem
fenced to stand mouonless at atten-
ton for Il considerable length OF time.
Every ono who has had to stand for any
length OF time knows what terrible
torture this Is. To stand at attention
TOT twenty four hours after some days
detention In n darkened cell on diet
OF black bread and water Is a punish
inent which would surely make the
most hardened criminal meek and gen
tie. and IL necessary the punishment
might be heightened until the man
faints."
Should any body ind this punishment
too humane the editor has another
suggestion to make:
"ie who has once felt the effect of a
strong electric current knows how
painful this sensation u.s. Whipping is
nothing compared to It, and to sit In
darkened, cell. chained to the wall,
waiting for the current to be turned
on every morning at n certain hour,
Is horrible. A punishment OF this kind
cannot fail to bring good results"
These suggestions by the editor OF
a very influential German paper are
eloquent enough In themselves, but
they appear to still better ADVANTAGE
when ono reads tho comments TO them
made by the reactionary Deutsche
Tageszcltuns which after thanking Its
colleague for the suggestions adds that
the editorial stands as IAN encourage
Ing proof, that dawn is near even in
liberal circles"