The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-08-15
IN THE FATHERLAND
INTERESTING BITS OF NEWS
FROM THE GREAT GERMAN
EMPIRE.
WHAT'S DOING IN OLD HOME
summary Of the Most important Hap
penngs in the Land of the Kaiser
timely Items for the German
Readers

| wi ZIG SCTUldU
Readers.
manifesto to the working classes
has been issued by the socialist execu-
tive committee and the general COM
mission of labor unions, appealing
against the general strike which the
leaders of the Liebknecht branch of
the socialists are endeavoring to organ
lie. 1t reads as follows: 1.-The pro-
longed war weighs heavily on all ma
lions and entails great sacrifices. 1t
severely tests the endurance of those
| at home and at the front, and it Is
natural that i'll feeling and discomfort
should develop. This feeling is unfor-
tunately being abused by irresponsible
| individuals who wish to mislead labor
| into reSOrting to measures which are
not in the slightest degree adapted
to relieve the burden but rather to in
| crease it. We therefore consider 1t
| our duty to warn labor against the
Vaccinations of apostles Of protest
| and a general strike working in dark
ness and anonymity. Just now, when
| our brothers in uniform on all fronts
must withstand a mighty onslaught by
| the armies of our enemies and must
make indescribabe sacrifices and
when, just before the harvest, the food
| supply presents the greatest difficult
| ties, each thOughtless action may be
| fatal and above all strike labor itself
the severest blow. Our most important
task is to aid in the speedy coming of
| peace. The competent organization In
| the labor movement Is conscious of
| this great duty and Is working untir-
ingly to fulfill it."
That Germany is building q tremen-
| dous mercantile fleet, including the
largest ship in the world, was declared
by Herr Balm, general manager of the
Hamburg line, in an inter
view with the Hamburg correspondent
of the Frankfurter Zeitung. The ship
referred to is the Bismarck, of $4,000
tons, being constructed for the Ham
burg-American line. There is. also the
turbine ship Tirpitz of 43, 200 tons I'M
der way, and the list also includes
three others Of $4,000 tons. At the
Vulcan yards, Bremen, nine ships are
building, four of them having carry
ing capacity of $4,000 tons, these be-
ing the worlds greatest freight steam
ers. In addition, Herr Ballin contin-
ued, three big liners are under way
at the Flensburg yard. Two more
steamers Of 1900 tons and three
larger passenger freight steamers are
being constructed. Two cargo ships
of 1900 tons each are being construct
ed especially for the Panama canal
trade at the Tecklenburg yards at
Geestemuende. The North German
Lloyd is building at Dantzig two fast
liners of $4,000 tons, the Columbus and
the Hindenburg. These are to be
speedy, designed to cut down the time
between the Continent and New York.
The same company is building II
other ships of $4,000 tons, the Muen-
chen and the Zeppelin, Of 10000 tons
each. The Bremen-Africa line Is con-
structing six steamers, the Hansa line
eight, and the Cosmos line ten, rang
ing from 5000 to 1900 tons.
The German government has issued
officially only, the figures relating to
the cOnquestS at the end Of the second
year OF the war in a statement which
reads "The central powers OCCUPY
431 900 square kilOmeters against $780,
600 year ago. The enemy occupies
in Europe $4,000 square kilometers
against 1000 a year ago. The CEN
trial powers, Bulgaria and Turkey, cap
tured 2,65S,OOO enemy soldiers, against
l,695,OOO. Of those taken prisoner by
the Germans, 5947 officers and $4,000
men were French; 9,019 officers and
100000 men were Russian, and 947
officers and 10000 men were British.
The war booty brought to Germany
in addition to that utilized Immediate
ly at the front, comprised 1,036 can
non, 100000 shells, $3.50 machine
guns and 1,556,0OO rifles. According to
the list of statistics of German wound
ed soldiers, 9O.2 per cent returned to
the front, Ia per cent died, the rest
were unfit for service or were re-
leased. The military measures of the |
central powers, in consequence Of vac
cinations, were never disturbed by epi- |
denies"
German, Austrian and Hungarian |
coal owners are forming a syndicate |
to supply coal to the Balkans, hitherto |
largely furnished by Great Britain. !
The capital is $1,OOO,0OO. Steps will |
be taken to develop the Danube river |
traffic for carrying the coal The Bal |
kan states have been getting some |
100000 tons Of coal every year from
England.
The loyalty with which the socialists
have stood by the government and |
helped to fight the country's battles
has been more than once recognized |
by Bethmann-Hollweg In his speeches
in the reichstag and he has clearly adj
mitted this fact must lead to some
political readjustment after the war
is over.
Kaiser Franz Joseph of Austria
caught severe chill while inspecting
his troops. The emperor is described
as being very Ill and confined to his