The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-03-03
N THE FATHERLAND.
INTERESTING BITS OF NEWS
FROM THE GREAT GERMAN
EMPIRE.
WHAT'S DOING IN OLD HOME
Summary of the Most Important Hap
penings In the Land of the Kaiser
Timely Items for the German
Readers.

A prominent German who stands
close to Kaiser Wilhelm is reported to
have said: 1T is no secret that it is
believed in diplomatic circles in Ber-
lin that there will be grave danger
of war between the United States and
japan if the former country maintains
its present Indifferent, If not antag-
oRistic, attitude toward Japan's de-
mand for a settlement Of the Ques-
tons now pending, especially II there
should be any further anti-Japanese
legislation in America Military and
naval men, as well as diplomats, re-
gard the United States as being ut
terly unprepared for intervention in
Mexico, much less for war with Japan.
These men do not hesitate to say In
private conversation that Japan could
easily take the Philippines and Ha-
wall. Once Japan decides that war Is
inevitable, 1t will strike suddenly with
out giving any time for preparations.
The majority of men who are well
posted on such matters believe japan
will strike at the Panama canal, using
Honolulu and the coast Of Mexico az
bases Of supplies. The United States
at present has less sympathy not only
in Europe but on it's own hemisphere
than In many decades. The Panama
canal tolls and new tariff have alien
ated England and other countries,
while the American policy in regard
TO Mexico is persisted In regardless
Of the almost unanimous sentiment of
Europe. The administrative features
OF your tariff have for years bred Ill
feeling in Germany. This country
has high tariff, but it is simple and
scientific, while yours is idiotic so far
as the administrative features are
concerned.
There is talk in high industrial, COM
mercial and diplomatic circles to the
effect that Prince Henry's trip in
March to South America is mission
Of commercial and political, impor.
lance. Prince Henry will sail on the
new steamship Cape Trafalgar of the
Hamburg-American companys South
American line, when it makes its
maiden voyage next month. The re-
iGtions Of Germany with Argentina,
which are particularly warm, are to
be extended to Chile and Brazil. The
kaiser again shows his support of his
friend, Herr Balm, by sending Prince
Henry on new steamer Of his line in
order to impress the people of the
South American capitals with the Ger
man mercantile marine.
The German Geodetic institute at
Potsdam and the Coast aud Geodetio
survey at Washington are engaged in
an interesting attempt to re-determine
on an accurate basis the distance be-
tween America and Europe.
The new measurements are based
on the theory that the earth is not con-
structed on a so-called rigid system,
but contains certain degree of elias
ITCHY.
The Washington authorities have
undertaken to measure the distance
between the American capital and
HOrta, in the Azores, while the Pots
dam institute will take up the stretch
between the Azores and Berlin.
A narcotic powder designed to revo.
lutionize warfare has been discovered
by a woman named Boehm, who DEM
Onstrated it to the government off,
Gals. She alleges that shells charged
with the powder, when let loose
among the enemy, will put them to
sleep for several hours, so that they
may readily be taken prisoners, with.
out injuring them. 1t IL reported that
the Prussian war Office Is making
tests with the device.
The Berlin Lokalanzeiger asked It's
readers which are the seven wonders
of the modern world, and majority
Of those who answered decided on
the following: The wireless tele-
graph, the Panama canal, the dirig.
ible airships, the flying machines, ra-
dunn, moving pictures, and the
steamer Imperator.
Official reports point out the splen-
did health of the soldiers Of Prussia,
Saxony, and Wurttemherg. Sickness
and mortality decreased three per
cent. in 1913 as compared with the
records Of 1912. This is the more In
teresting in view Of the fact that dur
ing the same year there was an In
crease of the death rate and the prev
alence Of diseases in the French army.
The German kaiser and his family
are very fond Of James w. Gerard,
the new United States minister to
Germany, and pay many visits.
Wireless press messages between
Germany and the United States were
exchanged for the first time Febru-
airy II by means of the Sayville, L.
l., station Of the Atlantic CommUuica-
ton company. Practically all OF the
New York newspapers and the Asso-
ciated Press sent messages of greet
ing to the Berlin newspapers, the
Wolf bureau, Germany's leading news
association; the kaiser, James W.
Gerard, the American ambassador, and
TO the mayor of Berlin. Several rs.
plies were received,