The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-07
MALTA CONFERENCE
P[EASES GERMANY
First Triumphant Fruit of
German Naval Policy
VOIGT WAS NOT DEAD
Curious Controversy Has Arisen Over
Picture-Italy to Increase Opera
tions Against Turkey-To
Form Another Squadron
VOIGT WAS NOT DEAD
by FREDERICK WERNER

by FREDERICK WERNER
Berlin. July 6.-(Special. IAN article in
the Berliner Neueste Nachrichten on Eng
lands menaced position in the Medter-
ranean proudly declares that the situation
Premier, Lord Kitchener. and the, Lords
of the Admiralty, is the first triumphant
fruit of German naval policy.
THE underlying principle of that poll
cy" says the chief organ of the Krupp
Armor, plate press, rs the risk-idea The
principle that Germany must be SO
strong at sea that no power would dare
risk a war with her has undergone its
first great test at Malta Admirably. Malta
is, In fact "the handwriting on the WALL
for England. 1t shows the limits of her
strength, and indicates with convincing
plainness what would happen if war with
Germany should deprive her of half or
perhaps more of her fleet.
"Such a war would mean the definite
forfelting of her position in America, the
Far East. and in many parts of Europe.
That would be the beginning of the end
Of British world supremacy.
"h'or us the Malta conference should be
a warning steadfastly to maintain the
development of our sea power. along the
lines Just laid down by the Navy League.
no matter how heavy the burden. We
are fighting, moreover, for an ideal which
Is just as vital to the world as the bal
ance of power in Europe, which we are
so often accused of trying to overthrow
namely, the balance of power on the high
seas in which all the great nations of the
future are vitality Interested"
Tho
which is generally well Informed as to
future plans for the expansion of the Ger
man army and navy, goes on to make
the following significant statement: I'VE
learn from reliable quarters that the de-
velopment of our military and naval or
ganization is by no means to be consid-
cred as ended with the passage OF the
new army and navy bills. 1t is possible
that in the not too distant future the
Army league and the Navy league will be
in position to exercise their educational
activities with special vigor in the inter-
ests of the security of the empire
In what way the development of the
organization of the army and navy Will
manifest itself is for the present, the
secret of the authorities Immediately in
terested."
The Army bill, the passing of which
caused such contention in the Hungarian
parliament last week. has reached the
committee stage in Vienna. The Ruth
enian members are taking advantage of
the governments anxiety to pass the
bill to press their claims for the founda-
tion OF a Ruthenian University at Lem
berg. They intend to obstruct the DELHI
erations of the Committee until guaran-
tees regarding the university are OBJ
tanned. With this end. the deputy, Herr
Baczynskl, began a. speech at ten oclocx,
the other night and continued without In
terruption until 80 the next morning
thus breaking all previous records.
At the conclusion of his speech Herr
Baczynski was removed in a fainting
condition, land doctor had to be called
to restore him to consciousness.
Wilhelm Voigt, the robber cobbler, and
Captain of Koepenick," appears to have
perpetrated another delicious hoax on his
fatherland.
Yesterday the official Wolff Telegraph
agency supplied the German press with
exclusive" news that Voigt died in a
London hospital three days ago. For the
past "a hours the newspapers in all parts
of the country haye been publishing SYM
pathetic obituaries of the ingenious rogue
who made the whole world roar with mer-
i1ment after his immortal military ex-
plot at the town hall of Koepenick in
October 1906.
According to the majority of tonight's
newspapers. notably the Berllnger Tage-
blatt, Voigt is not dead, but very much
alive. He is said to have arrived at the
town of Lauscha, in the Thuringian for
est az the outset of a circus tour in COM
pany with troupe of itinerant glass
blowers.
Meanwhile the Tageblatt prints what
purports to be a letter from Voigt tell
frrr hAtxr he, al L.
Thuringian yesterday to find his death
the sole topic of conversation in rail-
way trains, restaurants and streets He
said he almost believed II himself when
he saw IL in the semi-official college ga
zette. His fears increased when he
reached easel and saw the news" con-
spicuously displayed on newspaper post
ers. He thanks the Tageblatt for the i'm
posing obituary it published but as
sures the editor that until further notice |
Captain Koepenck' may be reached at |
Lauscha in care of his glass blowing |!
conferes
Scotland Yard has informed the Ber-
lin newspaper that 1t has no record of |
the death of anybody answering to the de- |
scription of Voigt.
A curious controversy has arisen be- |
tween the Spanish government and the
authorities at the Kaiser Friedrich muse |
UNI at Berlin. With regard to a pic |
ture which was purchased by the museum |
two years ago for 100000 gold pesetas
(s200O00).
According to the statement of the
museum authorities this picture, which
is known as Alteration of the Magi." by |
the famous Dutch painter, Van der Goes |
was bought by their agent at a public |
auction in Madrid. which had been sane
toned by the Spanish authorities There |
was nothing of a hole and corner nature |
in the purchase. which was effected |
against the strongest competition from |
British and American dealers.
The picture at the time was the prop |
erty of an order of Spanish monks, and it |
hung on the monastery of Monforte In |
Galicia, and the monks were anxious
TO sell it in order to execute some repairs
in their buildings Since the auction, |
however. an agitation sprang up In Spain
against the practice of selling costly art
treasures to foreign countries. and when
the agent Of the Berlin museum went to
the monastery to receive his picture he
1v~,fe ot.x L.