CAUSE OF THE CRISIS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14842, 6 December 1913, Page 11

CAUSE OF THE CRISIS.

OFFICER'S CRIMINAL INDISCRETION. CHANCELLOR'S RESIGNATION READY. HOUSE LESS EXCITED. (Received December sth, 9.45 p.m.) BERLIN, December 5. The efforts to assimilate- Ateace have oscillated between severity and kindness. Latterly, under Count yon Wedel, kindness has predominated. Count yon Wedel co-operated with Herr yon Bethmann-Hollweg in. framing the Constitution. The- crisis commenced when Lioutenant yon Foerstner, on the parade ground, in the presence of Alsatian re-, cruits, describing Alsatians ■ -as "Waekes," and. offering 10s for the head of every Alsatian vagabond his men brought in. "When the public demanded his punishment, tho military authorities merely arrests thirty recruits for divulging what had happened. Tho recruits are now awaiting court-martial. "The general commanding Alsace is yon Deimling, .who aroused uproar in the Reichstag a few years ago by declaring that as an officer ho did not care what members thought or did. The Reichstag is irritated because Herr yon Bethmann-Hollweg has never quoted Count yon Wedel's reports, but always General yon Deimling. The Kaiser has now summoned Count yon Wedol and General yon Demling. The size of tho hostile majority has made a deep impression on the public. It is reported that the Chancellor's resignation depends on whether the Kaiser decides in favour of Count yon Wedel. If the resigns, Herr yon Bethmann-Hollweg will resign also, but if tho Kaiser decides that bote the civil and military authorities are equally at fault, the Chancellor will remain in office. The House :'s less excited than on Wednesday, rccogiieing that it is Herr voc. Bethwann-Hollweg's desire to remove the impression caused by his ard the Minister of War's maladroit speeches. Tho Chancellor indignantly denied capitulating tho Emperor's military cabinet, which, ho 6aid, did r.ot exist. Ho was constantly interrupted, and finished amid a storm of hisses. Tho Social Democrats, Radicals, Catholics, and National Liberals supported the motion of censure. Only the Prussian Conser7.itives voted for tho Government.