The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-02
HE KAISER AGAIN
 MAKES A MISTAKE Threat Against Alsace-Lor- raine Provokes Indignation AN ALBANIAN REVOLT Bewilderment Felt at Berlin at Gush of Gratitude Over Appoint
 ment of Von Bieberstein
 as Ambassador
AN ALBANIAN REVOLT
By FREDERICK WERNER


 Berlin. June 1.-(special.)-Th Kaiser had barely returned from Korfu when he began 10 make mistakes-I mean speeches-but 1t practically means the same thing. He made more than one speech. but one stands out among the others-the speech which he made at a dinner in his honor given by the secretry of state for Alsace in his palace at Strass- burg. for in this he made an assertion that the Alsatians knew him so far only from his pleasant side. but that prospects were that they would very soon become acquainted with another side of his char acter and that If they did not very quickly decide to dance to the tune of his pipe he would make Alsace-Lorrains a province of Prussia It goes without saying that this speech has caused an enormous sensation in France, though the German press has hitherto maintained that the Kaiser has been misquoted and that he never said anything like it. but simply told the mayor of Strassbourg that he considered the present situation as a very serious one which might have far-reaching and start ling consequences. It is more than likely, however, that the French papers. which first quoted the speech, told the truth, for thes'Kalser Is angry with the Alsatians and when he Is angry he is not in the habit of weighing his words very carefully.
 For some time past affairs in Alsace- Lorraine have not been satisfactory There has been a strong recrudescence of French sympathies and a correspond ingiy anti-German feeling. These ten dencies make themselves felt in a hun dred different ways among the French speaking population.
 enormous pressure has been brought to bear and no means have been thought too severe to crush out the love of France in the hearts of the people of the an nexed provinces with the result that ap- parently the Prussianizing of the colIn- try made considerable progress and a short time ago the imperial government thought the time had arrived for granting Alsace-Lorraine a constitution which practically made it a federal state of the empire, with representation in the fed eral council The diet, however, of the new state has not worked very satisfac- torily. One of it's first acts was to refuse to grant certain sums to the Kaiser, known as the "Gnaden Fonds" and it
 
 could be induced to reconsider it's reso- lution on this point
 Another matter is that known as the Gravenstaden affair The Gravenstaden metal factory In Alsaoe was In a large way of business, frequently supplying the government with railroad material. It's director, M. Heyler however, was a. man of intense French sympathies. and --toierHted, probably encouraged. anti-Ger- man agitation among his workmen. This was so displeasing to the Prussian au- thorites that they withdrew their orders from Gravenstaden. and the action of the Prussian authorities displeased the diet so much that 1t passed resolution condemning Prussia for interfering in AL saee-Lorraine affairs. This Craven staden affair caused much stir in political circles throughout the empire. and it was this. doubtless. which the Kaiser had in his mind, if he used the extra ordinary expressions attributed to him.
 While extreme nationalists here pretend to be delighted that the Kaiser has put down his foot to crush French intrigue in Alsaee-Lorraine, no serious person can for a moment defend the imperial utterances as 1t is reported. The Kaiser cannot smash this constitution; he cannot incorporate the provinces with Prussia It was the reichstag which gave the province this constitution and the con stitution itself was the work of the fed- eral council Without the consent of these two bodies not even an alteration can be made in the constitution, let alone its repeal.
 It may be added that the Kaiser showed his displeasure at the action of the diet by creating Herr Mandel, under secretary for the province as excellency. It was this gentleman who withdrew the orders from the Gravenstaden factory.
 According tO triiStwOrthv renorts tba number of insurgent Albanians is 120O0 Of these coco are in the neighborhood of 1peS and Diakova 5000 at Debra and 5000 in the valley of the Save, near the Servian frontier. Great alarm Is felt in the Servian villages, and the government has therefore been asked to reinforce the troops on the frontier or arm the vil- lagers in view of the possibility of an AL banian raid.
 The latest report says that the com mander of the garrison at Uskub has left today for Ipek with two squadrons, some quick-firing guns and a Red Crescent de- tachment. as serious fighting is reported to have taken place recently The AL banians besieging Diailova are said to have arranged a meeting for the purpose of discussing further measures and the demands which are to be forwarded to the porte.
 No one doubts that the selection of Baron Marschall von Bieberstein to be German ambassador in London means a further effort on the part of the Kaiser's government to bring about more friend ly understanding between the two coun- tries. and generally speaking. the Kaisers choice has been fuii. approved by the people of Germany. with the ex- ception of the most unplacabe Pan-Ger- mana and chauvinists.
 The incorrigibes for whom Count Re ventlow speaks, decry the baron as the candidate of the western powers and pen.oan his transfer from the Bosphorus to Carlton House Terrace, because 1t is so cordially welcomed by Britain in France. The gallant count. in vitriolic outsurst In the "Deutsche Tageszeitung," says that Anglo-French 'enthusiasm'' . .rver Haron Marschall Won Bieberstein's new appointment can only be due to ceei. sense Of relief that the Entente Cor diale is al last to be rid of a dangerous antagonist at Constantinople.
 II must be acknowledged that there is fa~-ql ERE~u ~ TunAA