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Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 64, 19 March 1901, Page 1

OPINION IN GERMANY. I PRESS COMMENTS. Berlin, Feb. 9. The Anglo-German relations and thei surmised modifications, owing to Ernpero William’s visit to England, form jus now the all-engrossing topic. Since Hi: Majesty’s return all Germany has beei engaged in the discussion. The decorat ing of Lord Roberts with the order of the Black Eagle, aud Emperor William’! reply to King Edward’s speech, in whiel the Emperor said he was honored ir wearing a British uniform, and that the Emperor’s army, without exception, would likewise feel it an honor, have especially aroused keen criticism, which ie privately expressed much more freely than in print. In high official circles the decorating of Lord Roberts with the Order of the Black Eagle, which the officials dc not confirm, is regarded as being merely of personal significance and as, expressing Emperor William’s appreciation of Lord Roberts as a man and a soldier. It is not looked upon as a political act and leaves Anglo-German relations precisely where they were before the incident. Nevertheless it is admitted that the act expresses the Emperor’s wish to end the bitterness in the relations of the two countries, which does not benefit Germany nor Great Britain. The Kreuz Zeitung’s comment yesterday evening is to-day making the rounds of the German press. Many Conservative and Agrarian papers merely reproduce it without comment. The Kreuz Zeitung said : “ We fail to see why this Boer destroyer (Roberts) should receive such a mark of Emperor William’s distinction, and also why the Emperor, after being horribly insulted five years ago by the officers of his brother regiment, should now show them marked attentions.” Even the bitterly Anglophobe Deutsche Tages Zeitung, the, leading,. Agrarian organ, in spite of the fact that the Agrarians less than ever want the Emperor to feel wroth with them, when they are preparing to defeat the Canal Bill a second time and simultaneously demand prohibitive cereal duties for their benefit, says it cannot doubt the Emperor’s behaviour in England, based on the idea of closer Anglo-American friendship, is intensely unpopular with the vast majority of the nation. Whatever comment is made, however, is in cautious terms. The Berliner Neueste Nachrichten (Conservative) today re-prints the Zreuz Zeitung’s remarks, saying there is difference between Emperor William’s personal acts and words in England and German policy. Regarding the latter the paper says : “ England is incapacitated from alliances of any sort because she has been tremendously weakened by the South African war. As a military power she is not worthy of serious attention. England, therefore, will not pursue an aggressive policy under any circumstances. An entente between England and Russia in the near future is more likely than not, especially as Russia coquettes with the English money market, and is economically and militarily unable to enter into a struggle with England. For a time, it is true, English naval superiority remains,

OPINION 1N GERMANY. PRESS COMMENTS. Berlin, Feb. 9. The Anglo-German relations and theii surmised modifications, owing to Emperoi William’s visit to England, form jusi now the all-engrossing topic. Since His Majesty’s return all Germany has beer engaged in the discussion. The decorating of Lord Roberts with the order of the Black Eagle, aud Emperor William’s reply to King Edward’s speech, in which the Emperor said he was honored in wearing a British uniform, and that the Emperor’s army, without exception, would likewise feel it an honor, have especially aroused keen criticism, which is privately expressed much moro freely than in print. In high official circles the decorating of Lord Roberts with the Order of the Black Eagle, which the officials do not confirm, is regarded as being merely of personal significance and as, expressing Emperor William’s appreciation of Lord Roberts as a man and a soldier. It is not looked upon as a political act and leaves Anglo-German relations precisely where they were before the incident. Nevertheless it is admitted that the act expresses the Emperor’s wish to end the bitterness in the relations of the two countries, which does not benefit Germany nor Great Britain. The Kreuz Zeitung’s comment yesterday evening is to-day making the rounds of the German press. Many Conservative and Agrarian papers merely reproduce. it without comment. The Kreuz Zeitung said : “ We fail to see why this Boer destroyer (Roberts) should receive such a mark of Emperor William’s distinction, and also why the Emperor, after being horribly insulted five years ago by the officers of his brother regiment, should now show them marked attentions.” Even the bitterly Anglophobe Deutsche Tages Zeitung, the. leading.: Agrarian organ, in spite of the fact that the Agrarians less than ever want the Emperor to feel wroth with them, when they are preparing to defeat the Canal Bill a second time and simultaneously demand prohibitive cereal duties for their benefit, says it cannot doubt the Emperor’s behaviour in England, based on the idea of closer Anglo-American friendship, is intensely unpopular with the vast majority of the nation.

and the way to the German colonies can be blocked by English vessels. Therefore, on the whole, it is wisest for Germany to leave the door open for an Anglo-German understanding and in the meanwhile live in peace with England, Emperor William’s personal acts in England were due to his praiseworthy,

sympathetic impulses, which are devoid of political significance, but the Emporer must not be astonished if the feeling on the subject among the German people finds a respectful expression. The National Zeitmig (National Liberal) calls the Kreuz Zeitung’s article an amazing utterance, and claims to doubt the report of the decoration of Lord Roberts with the order of the Black Eagle. _ - Tho Voerwaerts, the leading Socialist

organ, ridicules Count Von Bulow, whoso policy, the paper maintains, was thwarted by the Emperor, and pretends to believe Count von Bulow has gone to Hamburg to offer his resignation, reminding Von Bulow that he recently announced in the Beichstag that he would pursue his own policy. The Voerwaerts ridicules the Conservative press, which, it says, “ is tom by conflicting emotions.” The Berliner Tageblatt (Liberal) prints special London correspondence in which the writer says the German people will do well to bury their animosity to Great Britain when the British people extend the hand of friendship, adding that Great Britain doubtless will lie ready to pursue a friendly course and support the dreibund on occasion, unless the German people are insulting in their animosity. The writer concludes: “ The German people seem about to reject the friendship of the great nation which formerly Germany earnestly wooed.” Die Taeglische Rundschau (Conservative) says the Emperor is estranged from the nation by his behavior in England, and declares a too close rapprochement with Great Britain is opposed to German interests. The Colonge Volks Zeitung, the leading Centrist organ, weighs the chances of a Russian or British rapprochement for Germany carefully,' concluding that the best policy for German interests is au entente with Great Britain, from the Catholic standpoint particularly, and also because an understanding with Great Britain means the furtherance of more liberal political institutions. Tho Prussian Diet’s action in referring the canal bill to a committee of twentyeight, composed largely of opponents of the measure, augurs ill for the bill’s chances. The whole Conservative press continues its warfare against the measure. During a debate in the agricultural council Baron von Wangenheim, president of the Husbandry Society, said increased cereal duties were by no means all that Gorman agriculture needed, After obtaining sufficient duties it was necessary to obtain control -of the grain market and Bourse, to fix prices and reduce the gobetween trade to the most necessary limits. ' The Preussische Jahrbuecher, a leading Conservative political review, has published articles, signed Hjalmar Scbacht} on the subject of German-American future trade relations, in which the writer claims it will be necessary to make ready for a tariff war with the -United States adding that if the United States saw Germany was ready and in earnest she would be forced to grant Germany better terms, while a mere protest would be laughed at in "Washington. The Kreuz Zeitung corroborates this statement, saying: “ The Americans are well aware that for them a tariff war is more difficult to support than it would, be for Germany. When they perceive that the Germans will not stand shilly-shally-ing any longer, they will say, ‘ At last the stupid Germans begin to see then- advantage.’ The highest Prussian court decided Monday, in an appeal made by a wholesale dealer at Kolmar, that it is lawful to enforce additional inspection of American meats, bacon, etc., in the towns where 1 they are offered for sale, after a first satisl factory inspection at the port of entry, viz.,. Stettin, and that the police regulations bearing J thereon, of November, 1897, and the lawf of March, 1850, arc valid. , T i Reports from (320 a show that the German missions in tEe province of Shantung are again in operation, the local mandarins assuming the responsibility of 'protecting \ them, .