Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-07-21

the ba6y crop has suddenly fallen OH. Inquiry will be specially direct GU to learning whether the decrease is more manifest among the middle, bet ter-to-do classes, or the proletariat Germans have been accustomed so long to. lord it over England, France and other effete nations with regard to birth statistics that the Prussian official investigation comes as a rude shock. The excess of births over deaths in Prussia hitherto has amounted, roundly, to 600,0G year. The rest of the Empire supplies an average excess of 3O0,00O.
 composition of an interesting na- ture, under the patronage of the Dule of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, has been arranged by the German Flyers Lea que to take place at Gotha from the 17th to the 18th of August next Prizes of considerable value are offered for the best results attained in aiming
  and taking photographs from flying machines
 The competing airships and aero planes must be of German construc- the missiles must weigh at least 15 12 pounds, several appliances for pro- jecting missiles may be carried in one airship or aeroplane, and the missiles must be dropped from height of at least 200 metres (656 ft). The objec- tive for the missiles is to be a piece of ground measuring 100 square me- tres, which will represent a camp, and which will be distinguishable by being higher than the surrounding land. The same conditions are pre- scribed for airships and for aero- planes, with the one exception that in sSthe case of the former the missile hust be thrown from a height of not ess than 800 metres (3,62S ft). It Is also possible that manuevers be- tween airship and aeroplane will be 1arranged for, though the task to be accomplished will be made known on- lN after the competition has common ]. ced. It is furthermore proposed to give prizes for the best results ob- tained ill firing at objects in the air, and for this purpose captive balloons will be sent up which must be aimed of feet above them, and In this compe- tiiion only one missile at time may be projected.
 in the photogrc phic competition the first prize will be awarded to the air men who succeed in obtaining the best three photographs from height Of at least 600 metres G,9GS) of a definite piece of ground occupied by troops.
 The "friends of Richard Wagner" assembled in a national convention at Leipzig the other day to launch a is movement to perpetuate the Wagner family's monopoly of "parsifal, which expires by limitation in 1913. Frau Cosmma Wagner, the composers widow, is said to be entirely disasso- ciated with the object, which has been undertaken by independent artists and musicians. Professor Englebert Humperdinck is one of the prime nov CTS. It is desired to preserve Farsi fal'' from desecrating hands by mak- ing it possible to produce it any where except at Bayreuth, as at pres sent. Hitherto the only successful aptracy'' of the masterpiece has been committed by American impresaros. Impartial German critics do not be- speak much success flo rthe leipzig crusade. They point out that the Wlsh to 2erpetuate ''Parsifal' in pristine form for the honor of German ars quite reconcilahle with the fact that two-thirds of the music devotees who worship at the Bayreuth shrine rom l year to year are not Germans at all, but English and American.
 Meanwhile, the German Music Pub fishers League is out with a dolefur manifesto, bemoaning the fact that be- tween Viennese operetta and Ameri- can coon songs German musical taste is going to the dogs, as 1t were. They declare that Wagner, Chopin, Beethoven and Brahms are having dreadful time of it in the competition with Fall. Lehar, oscar straus and the creators of Alexanders Rag Time Band" and My Octoroon Sue Popular trifles, it is asserted, are quite displacing the classics, and un- less the movement is checked Ger manys artistic reputation is in imml-