The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-16
CROWNED HEADS
 LOSING PRESTIGE
Chancellors and Prime Min
 isters Bear Burden
HOLLWEG IN DILEMMA
Turko- Italian War Threatens Peace
 of Europe-Tirpitz Probably Be Next Chancellor-Dare Not Wear Danish Colors
By FREDERICK WERNER

By FREDERICK WERNER
 Berlin, April 15.-(special )-Shakes-
 peare's words. Uneasy lies the head that
 wears crown" are no longer quite up to
 date. The kings and emperors of today, having been reduced to about the same | importance as the king in the game of
 chess, are having comparatively easy time of it, unless they are of phlosophle
 turn of mind and ponder over their own absolute uselessness. Today it is the l chancellors and prime ministers whose heads lie uneasy while their Irresponsible l masters have nothing to do but to enjoy life in idleness. The Kaiser is at Corfu,
 enjoying himself very much, occupying
 his mind with nothing more serious than planning his annual Norwegian cruise for
 this summer. but poor Bethmann- -Hol-
 veg has been left here to face the music
 and the tunes he has to listen to are neither harmonious nor pleasing to the ear.
 His position was anything but easy when Winston Churchill. sjust before the Kaiser's departure, made his fa- | nous navy speech in the English house,
 which created panic Tn Germany aud
 nearly put an abrupt ending to the
 chancellor's political existence.
 Ii l remember right. l wrote a week | or so before the recent elections to 1 the Eeichstag that no matter what hap pened, no matter who was al the head l of the German government were it the evil one himself, the government was sure to have a majority in favor
 of its military and naval laws in the reischtag and probabilities are that the opinion of the reischtag is backed up by popular opinion. If plebiscite were asked for now to determine whether Germany ought to cut down her naval programme after reaching an agree
 ment with England, what would the re- suit be? Every German voter with the exception of the social democrats would vote against any such proposition. It Is not even sure that the socialists would all indorse it.
 1t is an undeniable and regrettable fact that no matter how heavy arc the naval and military burdens the common and indelible hatred of England is strong
 enough to support them.
 The difficulties which the imperial gov ernment is facing in regard to its naval
 and military policy are solely financial Even before th6 programme was present. ed it resulted in the fall of d minister.
 Herr Wermuth, the empires minister Of finance, was dismissed with all signs of DttduSt ne openly utCldItu tf1at without an inheritance tax the necessary millions could not be raised. It was the question of inheritance tax which brought about the fall of Chancellor von Buelow. Immediately after the opening of the reichstag on February 16 Chancellor Beth | mann Hollweg said: When an honorable
 member of the right has stated that 1t
 must be considered a breach of faith
 with the parties who carried through the tl-y la Of tA.a poses an inheritance tax bill, l denounee | this as a too strong expression. as one concealing demands which 1 absolutely refuse to recognize"
 | This statement was greeted with loud approval of the liberal party as a sign
 that the government, to secure the pass
 age of it's military and naval bills, was
 ready to give up it's opposition to an in | heritance tax.
 l Now everything is changed; the chan celor has not only given up all idea of an inheritance tax, but even permitted l one of the most talented members of his cabinet to resign on this question. | The Kaiser is away enjoying himself. l His presence is not necessary here, as he exerts no influence and has no vote When the most important questions are decided he is no better than an alien But heavy lighting is bound to come in the reichstag. There is undeniably ?
 majority in favor of the defense bills as the government Automatically has la beled them, but at the same time there is an even more undeniabe demand that the wealthy classes, the large land own CTS, must take upon their shoulders their just share of the burden in shape of the inheritance tax. which caused tine
 downfall of Herr Von Buelow, and the probability exists that as Von Buelow fell fighting for the inheritance bill. hi;
 successor will fall fighting against it. Many questions arise now. Will the
 chancellor dissolve the reichstag if he
 cannot force through his army and navy
 appropriations without an inheritance
 law? And will the voters. in case of d
 dissolution return a more pliable reich
 stag. willing to do the chancellor's bid-
 ding? It is quite likely that dissolution
 will be tried. but most unlikely that 1t
 will lead to the result the chancellor
 wants
 I have tried to show the close con-
 nection existing in Germany between the naval, military and foreign political questions, and the domestic quarre1s and difficulties arising from the self ish refusal of the ricll~-ca ptains of in- dustry and large feudal land owners Ito shoulder their share of the burdens made necessary by the present military and naval policy.
 The reactionary policy, which domi- mates in Germany in spite of the ex- pressed wishes of the great majority of the voters, not only demands reaction and militarism but also demands that the large poor population shall bear tho whole cost of these doubtful blessings. It is a shortsighted. narrow minded. undemocratic and dangerous policy