The Washington herald., 1912-06-03

nially are as IRE and iame Il does not
take much to create an excitement.
And Just now again Berlin ia greatly ex-
cited over piece Of news which ap-
pesred in the Paris Matin. stating that
at a recent dinner given 10 the Kaiser
In the palace Of the Secretary OF state
for Alsace-Lortaine tthe "Reichslande' ,
at strassbourg the Emperor had Informed
his nsighbors At the table that II the
Alsatlans continued their present atti-
tude he would smash their constitution
TO pieces" According to the Paris paper,
the most rabid anti-German organ In all
4 France, the Kaiser had added that AL
satisns knew him thus far only from HIS
good side. but that Il was not at all Inn
possible that soon they might know him
from another side altogether, and that
II they did not alter their behavior he
would make a Prussian province Of AL
sace-LoTraine."
strassbourE papers and several Berlin
organs also published this alleged utter
ance OF the Kaiser, but In different
| form altogether. According to them, he
spoke to the Lord Mayor Of strassbourE
in very serious terms regarding the sit
] uatlon. To begin with, where the Kaiser
in the Matin. Is quoted as using the word
| r. the more reliable papers Guote him
as having spoken OF I'VE" and 'us."
Neither do they mention anything OF
smashing the constitution" The Lord
| Mayor says what was said was that the
constitution might be repealed and the
provinces incorporated with Prussia
But, even so, the item does not sound
| right, as published. The Kaiser Is any
thing but a fool. He well knows that he
could not begin to undertake the frst
thing against the 'Reichslande" without
! first laying the matter before the Federal
Bundesrath. where he does not sit as
I kuUH NRnar ~ TNrsUNa 10
True, he is the ruler OF the largest fed
Grated state as regards area and popula-
ton, which gives him the greatest num-
Der OF votes. but all in all not enough to
override the other federated states in the
Bundesrath.
In fact. this very Bundesrath is and
has been the Eaisers nightmare ever
since he ascended the throne, for there
are few OF his fellow -soyereigns who
like him-this is not meant personally
they never had any use for a HohenEol-
lern, owing TO their rapid rise and not
longer back than 1855 Bavaria and Sax
ony combined fought Prussia when they
saw that country embroiled with Austrla'
lin the famous war Of seven weeksl
when Moitke's marvellous strategy and
Bismarck's iron hand and phenomenal
hluf ended il all at Koenigsgraetz and
Langensalza. thus laying the foundation
for a German empire by organizing the
''NOrddeutsChe Bund"
knowing his limitations and the op-
position he would engender in the Bum
destrath, whose members would lust as
soon see AIsace-Lorraine returned TO
France as to be made Prussian
province. does II sound reasonable or
even feasible to suppose that the Kaiser
would he guilty Of using such words
which would make him only the more
hated by his South German or Saxon
fellOw-rulers or their representative in
the federated council?
No doubt the Kaiser said a few un-
complimentary words about a certain oc-
Currence. which We shall follow I'd later.
10 the Lord Mayor at strassbourg. Con-
Adcring the provocation, he had a per-
feet right to do so, and fair-minded men
will not deny him their sympathy. But
what was said was a confidential ex-
change OF opinions. and but for the fact
that France has any number OF spies
in the Reichslande. and especially at
StrassbourR who have their noses into
everything. nothing ever would have
been heard OF the matter. II is safe
to say that nine-tenths OF the disqulet-
Ing news which We read first about
France vs.. Germany and the next day
about Germany VS. France is fomented
by just such men. TO keep the flame Of
national hatred burning brightly.
What really is at the bottom Of the
whole thing Is this: For some time past
AFFAIRS In AlsaCe-L Lorraine have not been
satisfactory. There has been a recrudes- |
cence Of French sympathies. and, nat |
urally. a corresponding anti-Ceruan feel
ing. because the French speaking popula- |
ton still predominates in the better |
classes No doubt that great progress
4.
try and things had progressed so nicely |
that the imperial government believed the !
time had arrived for granting Alsace- |
Lorraine constitution. which practically |
made II a federal state Of the empire |
with representation in the Bundesrath |
The Diet. however. Of the new state has
not worked satisfactorily. One Of its |
very first acts was to refuse to grant |
the Kaiser certain funds known as the
"Gnadenfond." and II was only with dim
Guilty that the Diet could be induced to
reconsider its resolution on this point
This fund is so to say, an equivalent for
a civil list. as Germany as an empire |
grants no income at all to it's Kaiser.
his appauage coming to him entirely as
King OF Prussia. Therefor, the federated |
states make him a yearly allowance Of
only a small sum 10 help defray travel
Ing and such other expenditures which he
|
Of his empire.
Then, there was the Gravenstaden af-
,air. The locomotive and metal works at
in Alsace. was in a very
arge way OF business. frequently supply
Ing the government with railway mate
rial Its director. however. is a man OF
Intense French sympathies. despite his
German name, and not only tolerated but
Encouraged anti-German agitation among
the employees This was so displeasi sing
10 the imperial government that Prussia
its heavy orders from the fac
ory at GravenEtaden. for which. I trust
nobody who is fairminded will blame the
Prussan authorities. inasmuCh as they
rad given the manager ample notice OF
heir intention unless he stopped his agi-
ation. This action Of Prussia, on the
Dther hand. so displeased the Diet Of
Alsace that It passed a resolution CON
iemning Prussia for interfering in the af-
fairs Of Alsace-Lorraine."
This certainly was very aggravatingI
proceeding, considering that II was
Prussia which stood up for the pan
German sentiment and showed itself tol