The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-07-14
IN THE FATHERLAND.
INTERESTING BITS OF NEWs
FROM THE GREAT GERMAN
EMPIRE.
WHAT'S DOING IN OLD HOME
Summary Ct the Most important Hap.
peninss in the Land OF the Kaiser
Timely Items for the German
Readers.


Aggressive measures are being taken
by Russia against the favorite econo-
mic measures of Germany's agrarians.
Germany is devising measures Of re-
taliation Austria and Hungary have
both officially proclaimed themselves
unfriendly to the German tariff. Ger
many's customs relations with Russia
and Austria-Hungary are regulated
by commercial treaties of 1906 which
were based on the Buelow tariff Of
1903. This tariff Is highly protection
list. 1t satisfies no one in Germany
and no one outside. The German So
cialists and the radical peoples party
aseribe to it the high prices of bread
and meat; and the agrarian conserva-
tiyes complain that it is not high
enough. The finishing manufacturers
condemn it because it favors the raw
material producer who burdens them
with high coal and iron prices. Be
tween these interests official Germany
is In difficulties. The government,
therefore, decided to do nothing In
January. Doctor Delbrueck, imperial
secretary of the interior, told the reich
stag that no change would be made.
This peaceful declaration has produced
breathings of war from the high-pro-
tectionists of Austria-Hungary and
Russia. and fiercer breathings still
from Germany's high-prctectionists
Paul Liman, a noted journalist, has
written a book about Crown Prince
Wilhelm of Germany. Making com
parison with the kaiser, Mr.. Liman
says 1T is an easily observable and
certain fact that the crown prince
hates immoderate and pompous rep
resentation and that, in contrast to
his imperial father, he places himself
as little as possible before the foot
lights of the public. AS kaiser, this
man OF sincere and thorough simpii-
city will never take the stand
that the greatness and glory of a ma
ton are to be judged and valued by
the number and pomp of festivities,
by rhetorical utterances or brilliancy
of decorations and concentrations.
And, as kaiser, this man in his quiet
and sensible way, will never accept
appearances for the real thing He
will not scatter his forces or be diff
fusive by attempting to be master in
everything, and everywhere pose as
highest Judge. This young prince has
keen discernment, and conception OF
the reality of things strong enough to
cause him to avoid all incursions into
the land of political fantasies
Germany proceeds steadily with the
development of her canal system, and
in the near future a number of impor-
tant extensions will be open for traf-
fic. The Berlin-Oder canal is a note
worthy engineering feat. 1t starts on
the west side of Berlin, and runs to
Oderberg, where it falls into the river.
Tt is about sixty miles long, and has
cost something like S10,000,000 to
build. 1t connects the capital of the
empire with the greatest Prussian
port; 1t binds Berlin and Stettin. Ber-
lin and the Oder have, of course, been
united for some considerable time by
the Finow canal but that waterway,
with Its score of old-fashioned locks
and the fault of narrowness, has long
been out of date. The new canal will
carry cargo vessels of 600 tons, and
that vessels Of such size will now go
direct from Stettin to Berlin really
means the opening of new epoch in
German internal traffic development.
1t makes Berlin virtually seaport
King Frederick Augustus of Saxony
is discussing with Car Nicholas the
possibility OF an alliance between the
formers eldest son, Crown Prince
George, who was twenty-one last
January, and Grand Duchess Tatania,
the cars second daughter, who Is
seventeen.
The five years task of deepening
and widening the Baltic-North sea
canal SO as to accommodate the larg
est battleships Is practically COM
pleted. The locks at the two ends,
which do not raise the water level,
but simply serve to prevent tidal cur
rents, have been greatly enlarged and
now exceed the dimensions of the Pan
anna locks. The new width of the
canal is 333 feet. and its depth 36
feet At four points the width
will be such that the largest warships
can easily turn around in 1t and re-
verse their course, thus enabling them
80 obey any sudden change of orders.
Some interesting revelations are ex-
pected to be made ar the coming trial
of a number Of wealthy money-lendersr
who are charged with fleeing young
army officers. The witnesses for the
greater part are young officers of good
family, including several of title and
although the accused are not charged
directly with usury or with any other
infraction of the laws relating to money
lending the whole case shows what
shifts young officers are sometimes re-
duced to when it is question of hav-
Ing to raise the wind"
At Biasch, Major Buechner, passen-
ger In a military biplane, was crushed
to death when the machine was over
turned a few feet from the earth At
Metz, Aviator Grunow lost control of
his machine fifty feet from the ground
and was killed in the fall