The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-23
STORM IN GERMAN OPERAT|C CIRCLES Royal Opera House and Theatre Criticized HOME RULE WANTED German Center Party Wants to Con- fer Rights on Alsace-Lorraine.
 Interest in Princess
 Future
HOME RULE WANTED

rlent arbitration commerce and inter national peace have been shunted for the time being because of trouble over opera. Recently there has been storm sn opera circles over the performance given over German works at the Royal opera house and the Royal tn eatre.
 A deputy named Kopsch criticised severely the manner in which business was conducted in them. He said that only amateurs had a hand in the man. agement and even these were con- trolled by a higher power. Count Huel-' sen, the director, was accused of being a mere puppet.
 The count at once convened a meet sng at which all who had any work at either house attended. There was great enthusiasm when the count denied the accusati and said that the Kaiser had refused to accept his resignation when he had rendered 1t.
 The German center party has been using it's power for the purpose of con ceding to Alsace- Lorraine genuine measure of home rule. The government brought forward in the reichtag pro- posals of half hearted character which were referred to a committee. The center has thoroughly amended them. It has secured the adoption of motion constituting Alsace-Lorrafne a federal state and of another mo- tion providing for the appointment by the Emperor of a governor for life, on the nomination of the federal council The object of making the appointment for life is to give the governor inde- pendence. The national liberals en- deavored to limit the appointment to a definite period, but failed. The action of the center has brought them into conflict with the government Herr Delbrueck, secretary of state for the interior has affirmed that the center g plans cannot be accepted as they would deprive the Emperor of executive pow CT, and member of the center has re- piled that the party is resolved not to abandon their position. Ultimately a compromise may be arrived at, but however the dispute may terminate, 1t is evident that the center party means to act throughout as friends of free dom and do not apprehend any injury to the empire from the extension of the right of self government.
 Dr. Won Bethmann Hollweg's speech in the reiehtag has been received with some surprise, which has, however, on one side, taken the form of disappoint- Iaent; on the other, that of relief. The inference had been drawn from the comments of the Allegemeine Zeitung on Sir Edward Grays speech, that the German government had, to some ex- tent, at any rate, modified it's attitude The chancellor's statement has, how ever, effectively dissipated this idea. The radicals and socialists are vague y convinced that something can and should be done to diminish the bur den of ornaments, while the conserva- lives and the bulk of the national lib- erals keep to the maxim that prepar- ations for war is the surest means of maintaining peace.
 The disillusion of the democratic press is finely shaded off from the Vor- warst, which calls the chancellor's speech a "declara ton of war against the disarmament idea" to the meek resignation of the Vessische Zeitung, which finds no harsher word than dis appointment" to express .ts chagrin. On the other hand. the conservative and super patriotic press announces its sat- isfaction with the speech.
 It is urged by the Neueste Nach- rich ten that the communications en- changed should not go into details as to the size and armament of war vessels, since Germany has adopted the prac- tice of building stronger unites than our most probable opponent" and should not abandon the opportunity of utilizing her technical efficiency 10 produce what is militarily more per feet" than England's achievements in this field. The same paper urges that at the end of 1914 Great Britain will have a strong inducement to strength en her squadrons in the far east in consequence of the completion of the Panama canal, and in the Mediterra- mean to counteract the eight Austrian and Italian which will then be afloat, s.nd that it Is in Germany's interest to accentuate this weakening process by altering the schedule of the last navy law and laying down three in stead of two capital ships annually from 1912 to 1917. This Is, of course, which, though 1t has fallen on dull days, still has, as its latest annual report shows, over a million members of all sorts.
 Prince Hatzfeldt has expressed the imperial partys cordial approval of the chancellor's attitude, while Herr Haussmann, a radical. declared that the governments statement would worK on public opinion in England like a cold winter storm, and afford foreign countries a welcome pretext for alleg- ing that all progress in this region was prevented by the opposition of Germany"
 The Socialistic Verwaertz prints an analysis of the votes cast in 19 by elections for members of the reichstag since 1907. It shows that the social ist vote in the districts has increased ty 35,6S1 and declares that the social ists will contest every constituency in the empire at the coming election.
 Baron Won Waechter, a prominent official. is to be charged for perjury. The charge arises out of a libel case which resulted in the imprisonment of Herr Won Roy. Won Roy had brought grave charges affecting the moral con- duct of high officials in the German African protectorate.
 During trial anonymous letters were produced, the authorship of which Ba- ron Won Waechter denied on oath. Handwriting experts, nevertheless, have come to the conclusion that he was the writer of the letters.
 It is suggested by the prosecution that he wrote them with the object Of diverting suspicion of a moral of fence from himself. Baron Von Waechter denies the charge.
 Considerable interest is manifested in the future of Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia. the only daughter of the Emperor and Empress. The prin- cess, who is now in her nineteenth year,