The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-07-21
| IN The FKTHERLAND
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. u

Germany has vigorously taken in
hand it's great housing problem. 1t is
a troublesome task. Bad housing,
says former Minister of the Interior
Count Posadowsky, is the reason why
AZ to 20 per 900 in the last 40 years.
The absence Of imperial housing leg
islation is one source of the evil. 9th
er social problems have been benef-
cially regulated by the bundesrat and
reichstag; but housing has been left
to the state legislatures and these
have done very little. Their neglect
has caused friction. A year ago, DR..
Delbrueck, who now holds Posadow
sky's portfolio, threatened that If
Prussia did not improve her housing,
the empire would intervene. This
threat made the reformers hurry up.
The Prussfan and other state govern
ments set to preparing bills; and pri-
vate organizations and individuals be-
gan to compete with them in propoS
ing plans of betterment. Mainly the
reforners are fighting the specific
evils which spring from brand-new
urban civilization. Every fifth Ger
man lives in town Of over 100000
population. Housing on the land Is
fairly satisfactory, but in the great
cities 1t is worse than in America,
England, Belgium Holland, and, in
some respects, France. Germany will
now take RADICAL measures against
these evils Her methods are three;
firstly new housing laws; second a
campaign by the municipalities
against high rents and housing fam
ines thirdly, the building Of work
mems dwellings out of public funds.
The majority of the German newspa-
pers take a pessimistic view Of the
consequences Of the assassination Of
Archduke Ferdinand Of Austria, whose
loss from a political standpoint Will
be felt keenly in Germany 1--WE hear
the future thunder rumbling. None
can now see the consequences of this
dastardly deed" says the Berliner
Neuesten Nachrichten. Some Of the
newspapers even profess to see In the
assassination the seeds Of the dreaded
war between the Slavic and Germanic
races through Austria. The kaiser
had peculiar sympathy with the cold,
austere archduke. He discussed with
him eventualities where the combined
action of the German and Austrian
forces might be necessary. This has
been changed by the assassination at
Sarajevo which diplomat said, ''for
a time paralyzes the triple alliance"
Archduke Charles Francis Joseph, the
new heir to the Austrian throne, Is
regarded as being wholly uninitiated
In craftsmanship. He Is looked upon
as merely as pleasant and agreeable
man who is fond Of the good things
of life. Some think the kaiser will
make the archduke his pupil in states
manship. Meanwhile it is rumored
that bill will be laid before the reichs-
tag this fall providing for an addition
al appropriation of money and more
army on the ground that Germany
must be prepared now more than ever
to rely upon herself
One of the most prosperous women
in Germany is Frau Ewers During
the "army VS.. people" episodes in
ElsasS last winter she eked out a hum
BILE existence as tobacconist. Her
shop was near the public square in
which Colonel Won Reuters troops
overawed the populace after arresting
the town judge, public prosecutor and
80 other civilians At the court she
gave evidence in favor OF the officers
and civilians boycotted her shop. A
statement to that effect was published
broadcast in the German press, and
Frau Ewers began to receive checks
and orders for cigars and tobacco
from all parts Of the country Most
of them came from army officers or
ex-officers and were accompanied by
words of gratitude for her patriotic
conduct
Prince Oscar of Prussia, the kaiser's
fifth son, and his bride, Countess Ina
Won Bassewitz, who Is a lady-in-wait-
Ing to the empress, are now expert
encing some of the hardships which a
morganatic marriage entails at the
Prussian court, despite the good will
of leading members of the imperial
family toward the young countess.
Countless intrigues against the coun-
tess have already begun In minor
court circles, where the fact that a
simple Prussian countess should love
and be loved by an imperial prince is
not easily forgiven.
| Princess Wilhelm Of WED, wife Of
the new ruler of Albania, left Durazzo
with her children in consequence of
the critical situation there. She has
gone to Bucharest 1t is generally be-
lieved that the departure of the prin-
cess foreshadows the abdication of
Prince Wilhelm.
Lyons, France-The grand prize of
the Automobile Club of France Was
won by Lautenschlager driving
for the course Of 1915 miles was
hours, 1 minute, ID Is seconds.
OF every 100 persons subject to
military duty in Germany 52o ner