The Washington herald., 1911-01-22
Berlin Will See Premieres
by Greatest Composers.
PUCCIN1 MUST MAKE CHANGE
"Girl of Golden Westo VIII BE Over.
hauled Before Presentation-Ger.
mans Who Dislike Church VIII Or.
ganise Themselves Into Militant
Force-Landowners Control.
Nv STEVEN BURNETT.


Berlin. Jan. 2l-Always interested in
music the Berlin public are eagerly look
ing forward to the three coming opera
premieres by the worlds greatest living
composers:
Puccinis Girl OF the Golden West,
DR.. Richard Strauss 'Rosencavalier."
and Signor Leoncavallo's ''Maia."
Private reports received by local oper-
attic authorities do not altogether coin
eide with the favorable accounts of The
Girl of the Golden West sent over from
New York 1t is said that Puccini will
have to overhaul the piece thoroughly
before it will be regarded acceptable for
the Kaiser's discriminating impresarios.
The Convent Garden is to have the first
European production of THE Girl of the
Golden West" with Caruso and Destinn,
during coronation week. at the special
request of Queen Alexandra, to whom
the work is dedicated.
The secrets of Strauss "Rosencava-
lier'' continue to be well guarded. Little
authentic is known either of the plot or
music, except that the creator of "Sa-
lone has not scorned to descend to the
melodious depths of operetta.
Germans who are religious, but dislike
the church. are about to organize them
selves into a militant force. The initial
meeting took place here few days ago
at the home of a well-known former
naval officer.
Prof Ernest Haeckel came up from
Jena to attend it. The objects of the
proposed organization are as follows:
To promote desertions from the church:
to obtain legal status for an organization
of nonchurch members: to work for the
full equality before the law and in society
of "dissidents'' and others who are not
affiliated with denomination.
Prof. Haeckel stated during the meet
ing that a movement was in progress to
organize an international league Of
moniStS.
How absolutely the Hungarian govern
ment is in the power of great landowners.
who prevent American meat from being
imported into the empire through the
medium OF a prohibitive duty. has just
been shown in a most striking manner.
A syndicate of cattle breeders in Cru-
quay sent a sample of 2.0oO pounds OF
frozen meat to Fiume. but the Hungarian
government prohibited the sale.
Thereupon the consul for Uruguay. on
behalf of the syndicate. offered to dis
tribute this meat among the poor Of
Fiume, of whom there were many. but
this humane proposal was fatty re-
jected by the Hungarian minister of COM
merce for fear Of displeasins the agra
rians
The same syndicate sent a similar
sample of meat to Trieste. but the Aus
trian minister Of commerce followed ex-
actly the same course as his Hungarian
colleague. First he prohibited the sale
of the meat. and then he refused to
allow its gratuitous distribution among
the destitute of the town. Thus several
hundred families in these two ports, who
rarely see meat on their tables, were
not allowed to have a good meat meal
because the respective governments
would not irritate the agrarians.
Here in Berlin We are not much better
off; beef is getting SO expensive that
only the very wealthy can afford to buy
it. but horse-meat is plentiful and the
city just after the New Year decided to
build a new large slaughter-house, where
horse-meat only is to be handled. The
number Of horses killed here is far
greater than generally known and last
year over 1000 horses. TWO dOnkeyS ana
quite a number of dogs were eaten by
the people Of Berlin.
German postal facilities. which have
long been among the best in the world.
are to be amplified in April, 1911. by an
arrangement in the larger cities. where
by letters will be called for by special
messengers and delivered without inter-
NADIA 70 dolavS Of anv Kind
The regulations are not yet quite clear
ly understood. but the extra service is
to cost somewhere between five and ten
cents. Messengers will be sent in re-
Spouse to personal, telephone or written
calls