GERMAN NAVY LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 121, 14 February 1908, Page 4

GERMAN NAVY LEAGUE.

i'rinco Rupert- of.,.JßavarJa, who-in .the, natural, course of events will be one day. king of that; country, has caused,. k serious crisis in tho. affairs of tho German Navy League, by abandoning' his position as'patroh of'all; tho Bavarian 'branches of tho organisation. Trinco Rupert's resignation 'is' due to, theappointment of the notorious "Anglophobo end pan-Gernian. agitator, General Knra, -to'-'be' chairman of tho Exwutivo Committee of : the League.' :Controversy within 'the; ranks' of' the League'bccamo acute after' the' general election, at-the;beginning of last year, when General Keiiu, one of the vice-presidents ofthe organisation, carried on a vigorous agitation.on behalf the ' candidates of 'tho "National" parties;-against' _' the; Opposition parties, Ultramontiiue, Clericals and • Sooial Democrats, v, v

:. Tho • majority of bavarian and 'other South' German members of ( tho Navy. League belong .to the Clerical Centro; • and-it is. only natural that -Prince. Eupeit, > as.: •• fut-uro-. ;Kiug \of liavaria, - should share their ; opposition. to General -KeimV-appointmentv. : -It- is now knowir thatlthe'Prince expressed his strong objection-to tho-wav ill which tho 1 general dragged tho'-Navy League into tho heated political controversy of tho German elections, so that tho members of the Kxecutive Committee .must have known that tho choice or this hot-tompered general to bo thciiv-siiaiv-lnau would necessarily- -bV regarded by tho Princo as : a personal affront.' Tho "Lokalairaigcr" publishes an inter-view-with a prominent and influential member of the-; League, who said:— 'Priat.e Rupert's nttitudoimust produce far-reaching consequences. It may bo assumed that the Kniperor will not ignoro the- Princo's withdrawal. .Many other members of Hie League liavo long been dissatisfied with General Keim's leadership. His tactics are disapproved in many quarters." It would be a great mistake to assume that-'this crisis in the League's affairs reveals.anv' disinclination on t)io part of the Secessionists to support a further increase' of the navy. ' On tho contrary, Prince Rupert states distinctly that ho will give welcom'o support t<i every increase of tho German licet. Tboro is no ■ opposition to naval expansion, but merely to ths nsisr, provocative methods of agitation adopted*by General lieim and other leading lights of tho Navy Leaguo.