The Washington herald., 1915-12-26

KAISER PLANS To
enlarge PRUSSIA
German Emperor May Annex
AlsaceLorraine to Kingdom
Before End of War.
WOULD STRENGTHEN HIM
Plan Would Give Prussia Even More
Undisputably the Overtowerins
Position of influence.
WOULD STRENGTHEN HIM

Berlin. Dec. 25.-At time when the
enemies of Germany have openly pro-
claimed that the principal object OF
the war is TO crush forever the Prus-
sian hegemony in Germany. the
Kaiser's government announces that
the moment has come to realize the
plan for the Greater Prussia, of which
the Kaiser has always dreamed.
To emphasize the way In which
feelings in Germany have changed
since 1871 the government has chosen
to reveal its plans through the me-
dium of the "Frankfurter Zeitung,
the very paper which. at the end OF
the Franco-Prussian war protested
most loudly against making the con-
quered territories part of the ambi-
tious kingdom of Prussia.
No one in Germany today. even In
Bavaria or SaXony, thinks of denying
the fact so ptsrsistently proclaimed by
the Kaiser curing these last months
that the splendid results achieved in
this war are in the first place due TO
the splendidly organized and brilliant
ly led Prussian army. OF the seventy
million people who make up the popu-
lation of the empire, two-thirds are
Prussians. Prussia is the heart and
soul of the German empire and now
the moment has come when she is to
reap her reward.
1t will. in the opinion of the Kaiser
who is first of all. King of Prussia
never be possible to find a more pro-
pitious moment. The former Reichs-
land CAlsace-Lorraine) must be made
a province of Prussia while that king
dom stands on the height of her mill
tary power.
Kaiser Would Pront.
There are people in Germany who
see in this desire on the part of the
Kaiser. at a time like the present. a
secret fear that if the annexation be
delayed until the end of the war some
unforeseen calamity may prevent il.
With Alsace Lorraine added to his pres.
ent kingdom, the Kaiser. as King OF
Prussia, will tower head and shoulders
above the other kings of the empire
namely those of Bavaria, SaXony sno
Wuerttemberg.
Alsace Lorraine ranks sixth in size
among the twenty-six states that make
UP the empire. coming Immediately after
the four kingdoms and the Grand Duchy
of Baden. From the viewpoint of den
sity of population, agricultural. industria
and Mineral wealth. Alsace Lorraine also
in highly important. 1t would be very
choice morsel to add to Prussia. Thai
the population of the Reichsland. if they
cannot become French. would far rather
become Bavarians or Badeners. carrie:
no weight.
Alsace Lorraine has now in fulIp Iayed
the part given to II by the statesman
ship of Denmark. who made il the com
mon property OF all the states of the EN-.
pire he created. in order that they might
forget their mutual jealousy and distrus
in face of the danger that was constant.
ly threatening them from the French re-
public.
Now that this internal jealousy has al
least temporarily disappeared and the
position Of Prussia as the domino ting
power in Germany has been so fully es-
tablished the probability of strong op-
position against the annexation is very
slight. But it will undoubtedly be main
tsined in Bavaria that the common enc
mics of Germany ought first to be de-
feated and peace established before the
Kaiser. as King OF Prussia, proceeds to
put his house an order.