The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-06-01
(Bg Associated PressN


1 terests of the Panama Canal Exno-
sition to be held at San Francisco. did
not duplicate in Berlin the social sue
cess OF Its visit in London, due larSs
iy to the absence from the capitol of
tne Emperor and Foreign Secretary
herr Won Kiderlen-Waechter The
German social functions in their hon.
or were comparatively modest affairs.
From the point of view of their &C.
tual mission, however, they received
most serious and flattering attention,
the exposition project and the invita-.
ton for German participation being
given the thorough and businesslike
consideration characteristic of the
Germans.
Luncheons given by under secre-
taries in the Ministries of Foreign
and Interior Affairs and by the Presi-
dent of Germany's permanent Expo-
sition Commission served only as in
terludes in conferences in which mem
bers of the commission were called
upon to explain every detail of the
San Francisco project and demon
strate exactly in what ways German
participation would be of benefit to
German trade and industry. Business,
not sentiment, marked the delibera-
tons, particularly those before the
permanent Commission on EXPOSE
lions, an organization uniquely Ger
man, whose duty it is to examine
thoroughly the many exposition pro-
jects constantly springing up and to
recommend or refuse German partici.
patton in them. 1t annually examines
about 600 projects, of which scarcely
dozen are recommended to the Ger
man government and business men.
Among those disapproved by the com.
mission recently were the exposition
at Brussels and a contemplated Aus
tralian Worlds Fair"
The permanent commission and the
government will be Influenced in their
decision largely by the American tar
if situation, the prevailing custom
rates, and the troubles recently ex-
perienced by German importers being
one of the main arguments against a
German representation at San Fran
cisco. 1t is further pointed out au-
thoritatively that Germany has thrice
taken part in International Exposi
tons in the United States without di-
rect adequate returns, an exhibit
worth more than $2,5OO,OOO at ST
Louis resulting in sales of only $780,
900.
On the other hand, the commission
considers that the Payne tariff, which
at presents bars entirely the export OF
many German products to the United
States and renders their display al
San Francisco useless, will from now
on probably undergo a process of re
vision downward, giving German ex
hibitors some chance of returns from
their exhibits. Furthermore, the com
mission holds that the fields of bust
ness activity to be opened up by the
inauguration of the Panama Canal
not only on the Pacific Coast of the
United States but also in Central anC
South America, Canada and even Eas
Asia, are so great that German bust
nessmen may well seize the opportuni
ty of coming in contact with the visi
tors expected in San Francisco from
these countries.
The permanent commission has al
yet reached no decision, but there il
good ground to expect that the las
considerations will result in a favor
able reply to the American invitation
How great a representation AM
whether a general one. embracing al
aspects Of German business and man
featuring life, will be made, depend
largely on the attitude taken by tn
Department of the Treasury and pal
ticularly by the Emperor on his re
turn. His Majesty's influence is cor
fidently expected to be thrown int
the scale for a thoroughly adequat
and representative display.
The government, despite a series c
fiat failures in its repressive meas
ures against the Poles, has by n
means lost courage and it is now asl
ing the Reichstag for an appropriate
of $25,OOO,O0O to be used in keepln
lands now owned by Germans out
the hands of the Poles. Several mi
lion dollars has heretofore been use
in the effort, but without appreciabl
effect, for in the five years from l9O
to 1911 more than 100000 acres
land in East Prussia, Pomerania an
Silesia passed from German into Pc