EXPELLED FROM GERMANY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9478, 22 June 1909, Page 7

EXPELLED FROM GERMANY.

COMPOSER OF “THE BELLE

OF NEW YORK.”

The London Standard, of April 21st, says:— . ■ , Great excitement has been caused - in Berlin and, throughout the whole " of the Uni ted/States by the fact that Mr. Ketker, of Louisville, Kentucky, the composer, of “The Belle of New York,” and many other pieces, has received notice to quit Germany. Mr Kerkersays:— , “I was born in Westphalia, Gerany, but that was in April, 1867. Now, one thing I do remember is that before we left my mother applied to the authorities for per™ lß ' sion lor me to leave Germany. xne necessary papers were not ready when we left the country, but we were told that they would be forwarded to, America. Op till now those papers have not been seen. “We settled dbwn in Louisvillo* Kentucky, where I was reared. At that time the country round, about the old home was fall to negroes. How can they persist in calling me a German? I was ten when 1 left this country. I was brought up as an American boy. How was I to know that when I grew to manhood I was expected to return to Germany to military service? No, sir; you cannot blame me. No notification was ever served on me that they wanted G. Kerker to help to defend the country. If anyone is to blame it is either the authorities, who did not write, or my parents, who did not tell me that I had to go away to toe a soldier boy. “The time passed. I was educated as an American; lived amongst Americans; imbibed American idea# and in due course became a fullfledged American citizen. Of my later career there is no need to speak. My productions, ‘The Bella of New York,’ ‘The Lady Slavey,’ ‘The Social Wbrld.’ ‘The Tourist,’ etc., are known and are famous all over the world. I have travelled the Continent many times and never did any harm here. On the contrary I always brought with ms American dollars and spent them liberally in Berlin and other German cittiea. There is nothing against me on that score, for I have spent a great deal of money here, and never yet earned a cent, “Well, whilst living in London, X received -an invitation to come to Berlin and write a play. I accepted, and came here, as a sort of honeymoon trip, because I had only just got married, I first stayed at the Kaiserhof, and later decided to take a furnished flat. Right then nay troubles commenced. I received a notification that, having been born in Germany and not having served my time in the army here according to the law, I was under notice to quit the country. “First I thought It was a joke, but I soon found that this was not bo, and was told that, as I had not performed military service, Germany had no use_ for me and I must go. In vain I pointed out that I was a naturalised American citizen and the most they would do was,, as an£ act of courtesy, to extend the period ot notice till August. I have, of course, placed the matter in the hands of our Ambassador; but there it rests for the present, and unless the order of expulsion is withdrawn, I must leave the country in August. One of my only consolations is that when ! produced my notification to leave at the Tax Office they said in that case I would not have to pay taxes.”

The expulsion of Mr Kerker is a by no means unfamiliar step in German methods. German Governments does not care for German-born subjects to emigrate and avoid military service, and then return to the JPatherland, either to settle dr spend long periods of residence. “ It is is constantly taking action similar to that in the case of Mr Kerker, and one of the chief uses of the American Ambassador in Berlin is to look after the interests of American citizens in this respect.