Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-07-22
GERMAN ORGANIZATION
HAS BIG MEMBERSHIP

BERLIN, July ga split in the
Hansa Bund is the latest event in the
/ internal politics of Germany. This i!
a great organization formed about two
years ago for augmenting the influence
of the commercial classes over legis
lation and for combating the Agrar
ian movement.
1t now consists of about 100000 in
dividual members. besides some 75(
commercial and industrial organiza
tions of various kinds. Thus the to-
tai membership of the Bund, direct
and indirect, is considerably above
| 1000, 900; and it is therefore by far
the largest private organization of any
sort in Germany. In June the Bund
held its annual convention at Berlin
and, in view of the near approach of
Reichstag elections, the speeches took
on very aggressive character against
the Agrarians and the parties support
ing them. The president of the or
ganization announced policy which
means, practically. that the Bund pre-.
fers to see Socialist elected rather
than an Agrarian.
His attitude has given great offense
to the central association of German
manufacturers, the national organiza-
ton of the largest manufacturers of
the Empire. This body has just an
nounced it's withdrawal from the Bund
because of the vigorous attitude ad-
opted against the. Agrarians at the
convention The association explains
it's action by alleging that the course
adopted by the Bund endangers the
protective policy. which is supported
by a. tacit alliance between the manu-
facturers and large landowners. The
secession of the association does not
mean that all the manufacturers of the
country will desert the Bund: and on
the other hand, many of the organiza'
tons of the smaller and medium sized
manufacturing establishments have de-
clared their support of a vigorous at
tack upon the Agrarian and the Con-
sentative parties.
In some quarters it is believed that
the detection of the association will
help the Bund since it will enable it
to put forth more energy in the strug'
gle with the Agrarians. 1t is also be-
lieved that it will tend to draw the
lines more clearly between the sup
porters of the present tariff policy of
the Empire and those%.who prefer a
more moderate form of protection.
-
An inventive German has recently
taken out a patent for pistol for
producing apparent death for a brief
time. 1t is loaded with a bullet made
of a chemical composition, to which is
added enough powder to propel it. The
bullet explodes and causes a thick
cloud of vapor. which envelops the vic.
tim, makes it impossible for him tc
see, renders his breathing difficult,
and he finally falls into a swoon that
lasts from ten minutes to half an hour.
It is believed that the new pistol will
be of importance to policemen, as they
may be able to overcome rowdies or
even unmanageable crowds effectively
without killing anybody.
-
The important island of Rugen. in
the Baltic sea which has belonged to
Prussia since 1915. is being so rapidly
worn away by the action of the sea
that Prussia has had to assert her
rights of eminent domain and take
measures to prevent the island from
being gradually washed into the sea.
Large sums of money have been
spent bv the state in planting trees
along the coast and in getting the
dunes sodded with panic grass. Those
parts of the coast most seriously al
fected have been protected by strong
stone walls. Until recently it ire
auently happened that after storm
the coast line would be found to nave
retreated in places rs much as one
hundred and fifty feet. Thi sWork or
the state does not affect the private
ownership of the dunes and beaches.
>Though planted by the state. the
trees become the property of the pr]'
vate land owners and may be later
cut down with the consent of the
state forestry department; but in this
case other trees must be set out by
the land owner