The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-05

Copyright, 1913, by Curtis Brown1 @9ERLIN. April 4.-(speeial.)
 Albert Ballin chief of the
 -4 Hamburg American Line, the " man who could be min ister." is seeking new worlds to conquer. At least so say Hamburg writers. They. and the anti-Ballin press generally, put down the new At lantie rate war to Ballins consuming ambition which requires always some new sacrifice; and now that the rate war is being wound up Ballin, it Is declared, has some new design Shortly before going to London for the inter. rational conference, Ballin, who hates Berlin, came here; and held a con ference with chiefs of leading banks; and from this Hamburg concludes that the Hamburg American company is about to branch out again, and start new lines. Balln won't talk. He says that it is useless talking about plans before they are executed, and that once they are executed they talk about themselves
 Albert Ballin is the greatest German living. That is, in the practical walks of life. He has the distinction which no other German has, of being thrice offered a ministerial portfolio by Kai- ser Wilhelm himself. The last time is said to have been only the other day. Ballin replied that he was too busy; and he duly produced the rate war. The first time was in 1906, when Kaiser Wilhelm and Buelow were pre- pairing their bold and successful raid against the social democrats. Wilhelm II could not get Ballin, so he took in- stead, the banker, Bernhard Dernburg who. like Ballin, is a Jew, and like Balln learined business outside Ger many-as clerk in the New York firm of Ladenburg, Thalmann X Co., Bsllin refused with the excuse that he could not leave the Hamburg American line. The next refusal in 1910. had a different motive. Kaiser Wilhelm was then on the lookout for business like ministers Prince Buelow had resigned in a political crisis which brought about a revolt against the control of the empire by agrarians and bureau crats followed by a demand for busi- ness like ministers. At this moment the Kaiser lost his only business like minister by Dernberg's resignation.
 Ballin told the Kaiser that one business like minister is no good "If you want business-lilSe ministers you must have business-like chancellor. What is more, you must have business-lke heads of state departments and a business-lke legislature" The Kanich writer Behrers, who tells the story, says that Kaiser Will helm replied, T can make business-lke chancellor, but only the Germans them selves can make a business-li1e Reich stag
 During this crisis Ballln delivered his one political speech. It was directed not against the unbusiness-lke government but against the unbusness-lilxe Reichstag. Balln's complaint that industry. trade. and shipping are not at all repre- sented in the legislature. German com mercial development he said, had been against the government and no twith it He commented on the extraordinary fact that the Reichstag has at least hundred representatives of agriculture and not a single member who Is interested in ship ping
 Tn matters of commerce and shipping Ballin is Kaiser Wilhelms closest ad- wiser This position he gained by being a sturdy patriot In time of war the whole 400 steamers of the Hamburg