New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-29
Herr BALM Opposed
U-Boats, Disgraced
Shipping King Snubbed by
Old Friend, the Kaiser,
for His Views

LONDON, sept. IA recent "''
patch from Zurich announced that Herr
Albert BALM. Germany's shipping KING,
and long a friend of the Kaiser, was
in disgrace. The Amsterdam CORE
spondent Of "The London Daily Chroni-
Gle" writes the following on the reasons
for the rupture of relations between
the Emperor and his former friend:
"As is we'll known, Germanys mer-
camille Tirpitz was for many years one
Of the Kaisers most intimate personal
friends.
"Now all that is changed, as the
Kaiser has on two occasions recently
shown deliberately to his former bosom
friend. The first occasion was that OF
his majesty's visit few weeks ago 10
Hamburg. A gentle but none the less
emphatic hint was conveyed TO the
shipping king that his presence at the
ceremonies in connection with the
Kaiser's visit would be distasteful 10
the all-highest, and so Balm stayed al
home.
Snubbed on Blrthday
"The second royal snub was delivered
on the occasion of Ballin's SIXTEEN
birthday, not many days ago. 1t was
the custom of the Kaiser to send a
greeting Of many happy returns to his
faithful henchman, and message or
particular warmth would have been IN
place on such an suspicious day as that
marking the conclusion of the mcr-
chant princes threescore years. But
no such message came TO hand In ad-
dition, an imperial hint has evidently
been given in Hamburg official circles
to follow the Kaiser's lead, and the re-
suit is that Balm finds that he has
been effectively sent to Coventry.
"The reason for this unpleasant ban
ishment is the freedom with which
Herr BALM has of recent times ex-
pressed himself regarding Germanys
general policy. He was not believer
in the war before Germany plunged the
world into the great struggle, but when
it came he fell into line, hoping 1t
would be quickly over and profitable TO
Germany. lie offered his services to
the government, and he and the COM
pany he directs did a great deal of war
WORK IN many ClreCtlonS.
"But the war dragged on, entailing
heavy loss TO the company, and several
times he criticised matters strongly to
the Kaiser himself. On two matters he
was particularly severe in his con-
domination. As | reported some time
ago. the German government decided TO
make loan to shipping companies on
account of war losses. BALM protested
-. r. Eaf hn
amount was so small that it was prac-
tcally useless. He held, too, II should
not be loan, but a free gift, otherwise
the companies would be saddled with
heavy interest charge after the war-at
the very time they would be least able
TO bear il.
Opposed Submarine Campaign
"The government took no notice Of
his views. Later he went several times
to Berlin to see the Kaiser and Beth
mann Hollweg and endcavored TO per-
suade them against the unrestricted
submarine campaign. Here again his
advice went unheeded, and the result
was that America entered the war. That
meant the loss of great portion of the
Hamburg American Lines fleet, and II is
said that BALM sent an angry letter 10
the Kaiser, which would make piquant
reading for the world could 1t be pub
lished.
"Since then the Kaiser and BALM
have been as strangers 70 each other.
Some little time ago Herr Balm paid
a private visit TO Holland. A gentle
man who talked with him on several
occasions tells me he had the appear
ance of a broken man and that he
often expressed himself very pessimis-
ticallv as to the outcome Of the strug-
ole II can't see how on earth, win or
lose. we can pull through he declared
we meaning not his company, but
Germany"