The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-06-23
IN The FATHERLhND
INTERESTING BITS OF NEWS
FROM THE GREAT GERMAN
EMPIRE.
WHAT'S DOING IN OLD HOME
Summary of the Most important Hap
peninss in the Land of the Kaiser
Timely Items for the German
Readers.

So much has been said about the
watered stock and other evils of the
American railways that it is very in
teresting to read what German au-
thority has to say on this subject.
Arthur Won Gwinner, general director
of the Deutsche bank, spoke as fol-
lows at a gathering OF the American
luncheon club in Berlin: What the
American business condition needs
is, that the railroads be permitted to-
raise their rates. The American rail-
roads pay twice as high wages as
those paid in Prussia, and yet are
permitted to charge only half as high
rates as those in force on the con-
tinent of Europe At the same time
the possibilities of transportation are
subject to the same natural difficult
ties as in Europe. The railroads can
not raise new capital as long as they
are not permitted to yield reasonable
interest on the investments. The
railroads of Prussia charge twice as
high rates as the best American lines
in the East, and in England the rates
are even three times as high. The
present miserable condition of the
America railways is gradually devel-
oping into peril to the general finan-
cial condition of the world. The rail-
roads are in such distress that
calamity is approaching, and they
must be relieved"
The German Teachers association
has held it's annual convention in
Kiel The association has about
10000 members, and the attendance
was about 5000. So many strangers
visited the city at the time that they
could hardly be housed and fed dur
ing their stay. The event of the con-
vention was a lecture given by DR..
Georg Michael Kerschensteiner mem
Der of the board of education of Mum
chen. His subject was "A National
Unity School" DR.. Kerschensteiner
is looked upon as the worlds greatest
authority. on postgraduate education.
In 1910 he was invited to the board
of education of New York to made a
visit to America and he lectured in
New York and some other cities on
education for the trades. DR.. Kersch-
ensteiner holds that just as soon as
a German boy has completed his COM
mon school education he should be
compelled to take up a regular course
which should have for its aim to
make him good political unit, in
other words, a good citizen.
The Austro-Hungarian taxpayer has
become alarmed over the fact that the
military estimates for the coming year
are nearly double the army and navy
expenditure of seven years ago. The
sum asked by the minister of war
is $186, 100000. The army wants $115,
100000, while the navy will get along
with $36,000,000. The remaining $685.
100000 will be spent on the militia
and reserve forces. Seven years ago
the total budget for the>three branches
of service amounted to only S96,000,
900, a sum far less than is now de-
manded for the army alone. The pop
uIar protest is that the advance is
utterly QUE of proportion to the nor
NAL increase in the nations financial
and commercial wealth, but the most
disquieting feature is that the pres
ent budget contains no extraordinary
items, so there is no reason to ex-
pect that next years estimate will
bring any relief.
The king of Albania, formerly Prince
Wilhelm of Wied and lately major of
the Potsdam Guard lancers, is being
bitterly berated in Germany for what
his former comrades in the kaiser's
army consider cowardly conduct I'M
der fire. Nobody in well-informed
quarters takes seriously the official
assurances" that the prince fed to an
Italian warship for the sole purpose of
insuring the safety of his wife and
children. He is openly accused Of re-
vealing a streak Of yellow" which
has not only damaged his own pres
tige. but has besmirched the reputa-
ton of the German army for bravery.
The city council Of Lichtenberg,
Niederbarnim, resolved to build a
gymnasium hall as a public institu-
ton, and petitioned the government
for permission to borrow money for
building the hall. The government
refused to grant the petition. This
was a great surprise to the people Of
the city. The government explained
that it was feared that If such hall
was built it would be rented out to
gymnastic societies controlled by the
Socialists
Herr Rantzau, a captain in the
service of the North German Lloyd,
has received a gold medal from the
French government. Last years the
captain saved the crew of the French
vessel Partie. which was in distress
at sea. This deed of heroism was
recognized and rewarded by the
French government in this splendid
manner
The Catholic Teachers association
of Germany has held its annual con-
vention in Essen. The attendance ex-
ceeded all expectations.
The opposition party of Hungary
intends to raise campaign funds among
tho Hunparians of the United States