The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-16

The prospect of settling the long dis cussed question of the Bagdad railroad has been greeted with great satisfaction all over Germany, though many con- slider it a mistake not to insist on better terms than those offered England eight years ago. Surely Germany Is getting the better end of the bargain. but it is felt that England should have been made to pay for the many years of un- necessary delay.
 England is to this extent loser-that she has lost the chance of sharing in control of the line from terminus to terminus and especially of the very vaiu- able branch to Alexandretta This place is regarded as destined to become a German port under German adminlstra- tion, where the future grain and cotton crops of Mesopotamia (now a thrice blessed word for the Germans) will be shipped to German markets and the manufactures of the Fatherlaud will he unloaded prior to distribution via the Bagdad railroad over GermanizeA rurkey-in-Asia. But more important than this immediate gain is the fact that German progress in Oriental countries is assured and that British prestige and power will suffer in proportion.
 Emperor Francis Joseph's empire is celebrating Easter under rather mors than usual confused political conditions and a period of serious political unrest Is ahead It is the old hatred amorg the Slavs and the Czechs, for ages the curse of that heterogeneous empire, which has again caused serious crisis beginning with a defeat for the Czechs in spite of their tactical victory over the prime minister. Baron Bienerth.
 Unable to overcome Czech obstruction to the budget in the parliament. Baron Benerth did not resign the week before last, as the Czechs had hoped, but he prorogued the parliament and general election is certain.
 dissolution of parliament has been imminent for some time. The Czechs and all parties belonging to the Slav union, which always opposed Baron Bienerth because of his alliance with the Germans, wished to create popular platform for general election.
 When the Reichsrath reassembled after the delegation had voted the ex- pensive "dreadnaught' programme the Czechs resolved to obstruct the loan re- quired by the government for the first installment of the "dreadnaughts," ard also the vote on account for the months of April, May and June The Czecn calculation was that either the cabinet would fall and be replaced by Slavo- phil ministry, which would manage the election, or that the government would be obliged to dissolve the chamber sooner than Fit intended and without having obtained the loan or the vote on account These tactics are very popular in Bohemia, where the, Bienerth cabinet Is disliked. The Germans, on the con trarv. applaud Baron Bienerth for re- sisting Czech pressure, and are gratified that the general election will be man aged by cabinet friendly to the Ger mans.
 The date of the election is uncertain. In parliamentary circles it is believed that It will take place in September, but postponement till then would con1- plicate the financial situation and affect the chances of the great military reform which is now contemplated. The posi- ton of the government is very difficult, because the first task of the new parlla- ment would be the sanctionng of new taxes against which the opposition parties would have agitated during the election campaign.s
 Although only one official has so far been punished in connection with the matter, some very grave Irregularities have recently come to light in connec- ton with the cash department at the Vatican. As an eloquent preacher re- marked in Rome few days ago, the gospel is given without money and with out price, but the administration costs money. Many of the folk near the square of St. Peter are in qualSing shoes about the irregularities and the matter has created great scandal in the city and is the talk of the personnel at the Vatican, as elsewhere.
 Ii can be readily understood that where the machinery" of huge edl-