The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-05-23
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.

hcdQeHS.
What is the real situation within
the social-democratic party in Ger
many? This question is discussed
at length in pamphlet by Herr
Scheidemann, spokesman of the party
in the reichstag. His dissertations
are entitled Long live peace He
vigorously defends the party for vot-
ing the German war credits and then
proceeds to give the foreign psycholo-
gical analysis of the minority which
recently "bolted" and formed a new
party. THE activities of the opposi-
tion,' writes Herr Scheidemann, can
only work detriment for the labor
class in Germany. 1t is to be deeply
regretted that this opposition has
arisen within the ranks of social DEM
Ocracy, in the midst of a situation
which is undoubtedly terrible for our
country and our people. 1t was the
increased cost Of living which brought
the opposition the bulk of its follow
ing of the masses Entirely justified
as was the indignation over buster
ing measures, entirely justified as this
indignation still is-it is surely no rea-
son why we should give up our coun-
try to the enemies! Do we wish to
submit to the Russians, the French
or the English simply because our
government was not able, or perhaps
not even willing, to take the proper
measures for an adequate control and
distribution Of the food supply? I'm
fortunately the question is complete
ly ignored as to how the food situa
ton would look today had not the so
cial-democrats energetically taken
the questions in hand. But would
the social-democrats have been able
to do this if they had on the day of
the declaration of war fOOlishly de-
with the whole needy people, the men,
women and children left behind? The
anger Of the nation over a blunder-
ing food policy cannot and must not
be the deciding factor in the decision
of the future and the fate Of 100000
strong characters. The representa-
tives of the people, bearing a terrific
burden of responsibility, must act in
accordance with their conscience, and
in the consciousness that they will
later have to give an account Of their
actions
Colonel Mueller, a Swiss military
critic, who has been in Germany al
most since the beginning of the war,
reports that new German army of
nearly 100000 men is ready to take
the field. This army consists Of the
recruits of 1916 and about 10000
volunteers. The recruits, who are all
twenty years old or more, were called
to the colors last fall and have been
in training for six months. In Sep
TENDER, if the war lasts until then, an
other new army of the same size will
be ready.
A mob gathered in Charlottenburg
and swept through the streets, plum
dering two butter shops and smashing
signs and windows of several other
butter and meat stores, including the
municipal meat shop. The rioting
was due chiefly to indignation aroused
by the discovery that several butchers
were withholding from sale meat de-
liyered them by the city for sale to
the poorer people who have meat
cards, or had sold it privately at high
er prices.
In an interview in the n tional
Zeitung James w. Gerard, the Ameri-
can ambassador in Berlin, is quoted
as saying: In this crisis, as in all
previous crises, l attached the great
est value to removing misunderstood
ing between Germany and America
and did everything in my power that
a conflict between the two countries
might be avoided. | want no war be-
tween Germany and America. | have
never wanted and shall never want
one"
Josef Rabies miniature portrait of
Goethe, painted in 1871, has been sold
at auction for 1910 marks. Goethe
declared this miniature to be the best
portrait of him ever made. It's where
abouts had been unknown for many
years until it recently came to light in
collection thrown into the market
by the death of the owner
The arrival of a delegation of mem
bers of the Bulgarian parliament at
Buda Pest, Hungary, is reported. in a
dispatch to the Overseas News agen-
cy. The Bulgarian parliamentarians
will visit Vienna and Berlin.
One of the queer results of the war
and the English blockade is that the
thrifty German housewives not only
try to hoard up all kinds of foodstuffs
and other necessities, but also many
things which will never become scarce.
ITO save for the worst" has become
a craze with them. They even store
away enormous quantities of salt, al
though there is not the slightest prob
ability that this article will ever be
lacking. Some Of the women have
bought more salt than they can use in
years, and the money spent in these