The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-06-16
IN 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.

German nobility, society and official
dom were aghast when Prince Os-
car of Prussia, fifth son of Kaiser Will
helm, publicly announced his engage
ment to marry Countess Ina Marie,
daughter Of Count Bassewitz of Neck
lenburg. 1t is the first instance on rec
ord where a male of the .reigning
branch Of the Hohenzollerns has been
morganatically engaged to we'd While
the young countess is a woman of
rank, she is not of royal blood. Count
ess Ina Marie BassewitZ is half
year older than the prince. BY fatty
announcing his intention to marry the
girl of his choice, regardless of Hohen-
zollern precedent and family tradition,
Prince Oscar won the instant admira-
ton Of the German public. Should the
kaiser forbid the match and the prince
remain firm, he may be sent pen
niless out of Germany and have to
work to support himself and wife.
Germany has the only flying school
In the world conducted by royal
prince Prince Friedrich Sigismund
has opened a school Of aviation at
Danzig for those who want to take
up flying as sport Herr Forssman,
an engineer from the Johannisthal avf-
alton field, has been engaged by the
prince to take charge of theoretical
teaching In his school, while he him.
self, assisted by two teachers, will in
struct In the practical side of the art
of flying. Prince Sigismund is an en-
thusiastic aviator and aeroplane con-
structor Together with his chief pi-
lot, Herr Stiefvatter, one of the best
flyers in Germany, the prince has built
two large monoplanes which will be
used in the school. A number Of army
officers and others from high social
circles have already enrolled as pu-
pills.
DR.. Kraenzien, one of the worlds
most famous trainers, is now busily
engaged in an attempt to turn the
Germans into a nation Of athletes be-
fore the next Olympiad. He was
famous athlete himself, knows mod
ern methods and Americans are
watching his progress with Teutons
with marked interest. Whatever the
Germans undertake they usually work
out in a serious manner, and If the
American trainer can readily get his
people interested he may accomplish
something before the games at Ber-
lin He Is meeting with some oppo-
sition from different classes in Ger
many, but hopes to overcome all OBJ
stacles and get the Germans started
on the right road to athletic develop
ment.
The quaint custom of selling village
girls as dancing partners to the high
est bidder has been revived in num-
Der of Rhenish villages in connection
with Whitsuntide church dedications.
The auction takes place in the pub
lie square, and the village SWANS en-
gage in a lively competition for the
honor of securing the prettiest girls
as partners for the festival The old
er girls are Knocked down at
pTICG dS low DIS uNt CCntop WhiiC VIZ
1age beauties of a tender age go for
ST. to $3.50. The highest prices are
commanded by girls who are both
pretty and rich, as the Whitsunt1de
dances additionally lead to engage
ments and marriages. The proceeds
of the auction are devoted to commu-
nal purposes.
At a crowded meeting of dele
gates to the Women's congress in
Vienna, the increased cost of living
was discussed and it was resolved to
organize an international housewives
union to obtain a reduction in the re-
tail prices of food. 1t is proposed to
accomplish this by an international
boycott of certain goods throughout
the world at specified time to force
middlemen to accept reasonable
prices
Berlin.-The aid of the German po-
lice has been invoked in the search
for two audacious Viennese thieves,
who in broad daylight have stolen
massive pair of gates from the square
which adorns the west station Of the
Metropolitan railway. Dressed as
Flaborers, the two thieves went compla-
Gently about their work while thou
sands of people passed and repassed
the central part of the city.
Kaiser Wilhelm sent a personal note
to the chancellor, expressing his
thanks for the success in raising
money for the defenses among Ger
anans living abroad.
Switzerland is not likely to be left
behind in her military equipment. Ex-
periments have been taking place at
Berne, before the military commits
sion. with one Austrian, two German
and two French aeroplanes. with the
sobject of choosing the best model,
with monoplane or biplane, for the
Swiss army, which is not yet provid-
ed with aircraft. The public has al
ready subscribed more than 100000,
and similar sum is likely to be
provided by the government in the
next budget
The financial authorities of the i'm
perial government are more than sat