The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-05-29
BILL Would STRIP
GERMANSOF TITLES
Measure Affects Teuton NobIe-
men Who Possess English Dis
tlnction and Seats In House
Of Lords

w AM- ANN|IAAtou AASpsy
LONDON, May 1.-THE house Of
lords has received very eoldly the
Enemy Princes Bin,, which the
Lloyd George cabinet has pledged itself
TO enact, deprivihg three German
princes OF their British titles. Wis
count James Bryce, Former British am
bassador TO Washington, Is one Of those
opposing the bill
The bill applies 70 only three German
qoblemen, who happen TO be possessors
5f English titles Technically giving
them the right 20 seats in the house OF
lords. They are the Dukes OF Cumber,
land and Albany and Prince Albert OF
schleswig- fiolstein.
The title Of the Duke Of Cumber-
and was awarded over century ago
o the nth son Of King George the
Third. He became King Of Hanover
IN 1887. That Of the Duke Of Albany
vas awarded by Qneen Victoria, in
1881, 70 the, father OF the present holdl
AZ, who is also Duke of Saxe-Coburg-'
aotha and a reigning prince of a Ger
man state. Prince Albert Of Schleswig-t
Holstein Is grandson Of Queen Vic
coria. His title is merely nominal
lightly, and when the present holders
tather was born Schleswig Holstein be-.
ionged TO Denmark.
Halter Of Prussians
The Duke Of Cumberland has been an
invalid for more than two years and
mas taken no part in the war. More
over he is known as hater Of the
Prussian government and all its doings.
His son was in the German army at the
beginning of the wnr, but after q short
ime his health broke down and moth.
ng has been heard Of him for long
ime. The Duke Of Albany, however,
mas been in active service with the Ger
man army ever since the war commence
d.. Prince Albert of Schleswig. Hol-
ltcin Is also an officer in the German.
,rmy. His brother was killed, fighting
FOR Britain, In the Boer war. His
mother lives in England
The bin Rs presented to the house Of
ords does not affect succession 10 es-
ates or property and can scarcely be
feld up as serious punishment TO the
three princes, none Of whom has evei
hown the slightest inclination to exer-
else his right to vote in the English
House Of Lords In fact most of the
speakers IN the house Of lords regard
ne matter as Of small Importance, al
hough apparently demanded by con.
iderable body Of British public opinion.
The attitude Of those opposing the
measure was that the cabinet was
meddling in the private affairs of the
House Of Lords, that the bill was a
mere sop TO the man 10 the street, and
hat Il might become an annoying and
mischieyous precedent, especially as
,othing of the sort had ever been done
in any previous war.
No Crime Attached
Both Lord Finlay and Lord curzon,
in supporting the bill, declared that none
Of the three princes could properly be
charged with treason or any similar
crime.
visconnt Bryce was for postponing
actipn. ''The bill is not Of very grave
substance" he said. sfHitherto when
the state has deprived a peer of his
title and dignities, II has been for some
thing 10 the nature of a crime. Moth
ing in the nature Of crime is alleged
in this case. -
Lord Lansdowne declared the bill all
wrong The real object,' he said,
lis to satisfy a public clamor out-of-
1oors. But feel pretty sure that If
we are TO satisfy public clamor we shall
have TO go IA good deal farther.
There Is, for instance, good deal of
disgust at the idea that persons fight
ing against us should be wearing Brit
ish colors and decorations of all kinds.
There are sixteen German dukes wear
ing the Order Of the Bath. -
The government : position in support
Of the bill was explained by Lord Cur
zon. 1--WE must remember, !, he said,
what is the opinion Of the man in
the street. He cannot see why any
one serving with the enemy should re-
tain the titles and dignities Of Brit
ish peer He feels il an outrage upon
his sentiments of patriotism and ma
tionality.n
The bill, after having passed its sec
ond reading, was placed in the hands
OF a special committee, appointed at
the suggestion of Lord Bryce, 70 ex.
amine the whole subject and recon
mend action.
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