EXPELLED FROM GERMANY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 13

EXPELLED FROM GERMANY.

THE COMPOSER OF "THE BELLE OF ' NEW YORK " The : London Standard," of April 21. says, Great.oxcitemont has been caused in Berlin, and .throughout tho. whole of tile United States by the faot that Mr. G. Kerkor, of Lousvillo, KontUoky, tho composer of "The 80110 of Now York," and many.other pieces, has. recoivod -notice to quit Germany. Mr Korkor says!—

.- " I was .born in Westphalia, Germany, but that was in April, 18G7, Now, one thing I ,do . : remetnbor.;is that bcforevwe 'left -my mother applied to the authorities for permission for. mo to leave Germany:, The Inecessary papers' ,wero ..not ready when ■ wo left the. country, but wo 'were told .they .would bo forwarded to America. Up till, now those have.not bcon soen< '

'W« sottjed , down -in Louisvillo, Kentucky,' where I. wfls.rflO'red.V At :that time the country round about-the. old home was full Of negroes.: How can they persist in calling mo a GormatiP -I was ten -when. I left this country. 1 Was brought tip as an American boy. How was Ito know that when.l grew, to manhood 1 was expected to return to Germany to military. service ?-, No, sir; you, cannot.: blame mo. No notification was, ever Served on me they wanted 0. Kerker to help to .defend.;.- the couijtry. Ifi anyone is to blame it is either the authorities, who did not lVnte, Or my parents, who did not toll mo that I-hod got ,to goaway to bo a soldier boy. :-. ; v. " The time passed. I was educated as an American; lived amongst, Americans; im- 1 bibed American ideas, and in duo courso be-1 cntno a-full-fledged' Amorioan citizen. Of my later career there is. 110 need to. speak. My productions, '.The IJclle of New York,' .'The i Lady - Slavey,' ■■>. 'The • - Social ■ World/ ; 'Tho 1 Tourist,' 1 - etc., . are - known ond are famous all over .the world.-I I have, travollcd tho Continent many times slid'never; did. any harm hero. On the contrary, I always blought with me American dollars .and spent .them liberally m Berlin and Other German cities. Thero is-nothing'Against mo. on. that score, for I have spent a great deal of money hero, and never yet earned a cent. "Well, whilst living in London,, I received an invitation to como to Berlin and write a play. : J-accepted, and oamo hero, as a, sort of honeymoon trip, because I ;hau only just got inarried. I first stayed at tho Kaisernof, andUator. decided ; to take a furnished flat. Right then my troubles commenced.l received a notification that, having been born in, Germany,and: riot having Served my time; in tho iirmj* here nccortling to the law,-t waa under notice t9 quit the eoiiiitry. ■;. , , "Eirst.'l thought it was a. joke, but I, soon .fouhd.that tliis'was' not so, and was;told tliat, aa I had not performud military service, Germany had no uso.f.or me and;l.imist go.' In Vaiil I i»ihted out that I was a naturalised American citizen and tho most they would do' was,', as.' an. net ; of couHnsy, tn extend tho period of'notice till August. I ".have, •.■■of ■courfo, placed, tlio matter in tho lmuds of our Ambassador; ibut,there it restk for tlio pre-' siiiit", "and,, unless the order of expulsion is withdrawn, I :'miist leave the country .inAugust ,' One of my only consolations is that •when I produced my notification to leavo at the' Tax Ofllco thcy said that in that case 1 lyonld not have, to pav;taxes." -. The expulsion of-Mr.. Iterkor is a by no :meaiis ainfamiliarrstep in German methods. The Gorman Government does not care for German-born .subjccto to omißrnteiaud avoid military service,' and ;thon return to the Eathoriand, either to settle or spend long periods of renideiicc. . It .is constantly taking action' similar to in the caso of Mr. Kerker, and 0110 of the chief uses; of the American Ambassador. in Berlin ' is' to look after tho interests 6t American citizens in this rospwti. .-