OUR CONTINENTAL LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 14414, 9 July 1910, Page 8

OUR CONTINENTAL LETTER

[From Ora Ows Coesssfondsite] GERMANY AND IoUTH AMERICA’S FUTURE. • In an article under the above- heading the ‘ Post,’ ■which is the Government organ as. Berlin, declares that an interview, will take place shortly between the Presidents of the Republics of Brazil and Argentine, .with the aim of bringing about a sort o£ triple alliance between Brazil, Chili, and the Argentine. The 'Post’ alleges lhaJ “ This entente is to lie directed against the United States. This step of the progressive South American nations, whose advancing culture England, France, and Germany are watching with the greatest interest, will certainly result in the Yankee papers crying out about the German, danger; but the Germans, with their understanding for realistic politics, feel that in a time not too far distant a great future is in store for the three South American Republics. It i« therefore obvious, in the interest of Germany, that she not only places no obstacles in the way of this development, but will further it as much as possible.” THE NEW TAXATION. Many prominent men said that the famous Finance Reform of last year was far from being conclusive. These predictions have come true. The State’s finances are yet short of £1,600,000 of the sum required, and it will be the landed proprietors who will have to find the deficiency. The increase in the value of their holdings will be subjected, besides the communal taxes, to an Imperial Tax of 6 per cent., to be known as “Reichswertzuwachssteuer.” An interesting detail for New Zealanders : This tax only aims at the increased value of those properties where the proprietors, through their own personal efforts, have not been responsible for the increase. THE KAISER DECLARES AGAINST DRINK.

While tiie Kaiser was paying a visit to the Hoh-Konigsburg, one' o£ ius medieval cattles that have been restored, he got into conversation with the son of the builder, Herr Bodo Ebhardt, who recently joined a club of students at Fribourg University. The Kaiser spoke in verv severe terms against the excessive drinking prevalent in German student societies. He even remarked that these habits were a grave danger to the German nation, as well as to the individual student. . “ English and American students,” the Kaiser added, with their reasonable mode of life, were better able to succeed in the battle of life than their German cousins, who should not forgot that the growing commerce of the Fatherland made it imperative for its rims to preserve their full vigor for the maintenance of Germany’s astonishing progress.” It will be remembered that the Kaiser addressed similar words to the students of the Giessen University last year.

THE DESTROYED ZEPPELIN 11. There remains no doubt now that the catastrophe of Weilburg, which resulted in the total destruction of the Government airship Zeppelin 11., was canned through the military commander of the dirigible paying no attention to the warnings of the technical staff, and especially to the advice of the engineer-in-charge. It’s the same old song! Since time immemorial the word of a man in uniform, if it be only a young military nobody, is final, and bears -more weight than that of men of long experience. Some prominent parliamentarians are going to bring the whole business before the.Reichstag, and. some interesting discussions are expected. The conservative * Gazette de Cologne,’ one of the stoutest supporters, of the. Government, thus gives vent to the general feeling of discontent; “The causes of the catastrophe cannot be solely attributed to the inclement weather. Moreover, the reasons are to seek therein that between the military and the technical commanders of the dirigible did not exist that cordial understanding which is absolutely necessary if, like in this case, a captain takes command who has not only never in his life made a long voyage in a dirigible, nor knows what means a voyage in a. pitch-dark night and in stormy weather. To top this, at the last moment a machinist, an old experienced member of the crew, had to be left behind to make room for another-lieutenant, who wanted to make a trip as passenger; At Limburg. the landing place, the military commander of the vessel was urged by his engineer-in-chief to remain in the air and to return to Hornburg, but not to try a landing in the narrow valley of the Lahn, which was being continually swept by violent squalls. One could compare it With a sailing vessel hugging a dangerous coast, instead of making for the open sea. But even after a landing had been effected, the catastrophe, according to the unanimous opinion of aeronautical experts, could have been avoided if the execution of the work of anchoring and safeguarding had been left to the technical staff. Bitter resentment is felt that the advice of the engineer-in-charge was ignored. This engineer, who is an old experienced aerial navigator, and for long years in the Service of the Zeppelin Company, was certainly a more qualified person for the supervision of the airship than that young, inexperienced military captain. The engineer was the same who last year accomplished the great feat of landing the Zeppelin 11. at Biberach while a storm of hurricane force was blowing, and a veritable deluge well-nigh swamped . the cars with its occupants. Still this man effected a safe landing, and, remaining at anchor for several days in boisterous weather, managed to bring the. dirigible back to its port without the slightest ■ha. vary.” The last word has not been said on the subject, and it is certain that the military authorities will have a warm lime when the Reichstag deals with' it.

CORRUPTION- IN THE FRENCH ARMY. The investigations into the marine scandals at Toulon, about which 1 have already written in these columns, have led to an interesting discovery. Till now the ac- ! cused w-ere mostly small officials, non- ; commissioned officers, laborers, etc., and purveyors—i.e., private people—who were not subjected to the discipline of the Administration. Now-, an officer (a captain in charge of an important department) has been arrested on a charge of, bribery and coiTuption, and has admitted some of the charges brought against him. The Commission conducting the investigations discovered that Artillery-captain Robert had accepted from the firm of Nobel the gratuitous construction of two villas. It w. e evident that the firm w-ould not be m generous without compensation of some kind. Tins firm had the contract for the building of new- military barracks at Toulon, and Captain Robert _ was charged by the military authorities with the supervision of their construction. The officer, if the evidence is strong enough to convict him, would therefore be guilty of a double offence—firstly, in accepting a bribe ami grassly violating his controlling duties, and, secondly, in converting to his private use building materials destined for-Go-vernment works. Further discoveries affected the store. Numerous lettera were found proving that Robert was in regular communication with the purveyors, of whom lie asked certain ‘- favors,” w-hica were granted in most cases. He received from a Paris firm of oil and color merchants a parcel of four hundredweight of paint as “ samples,” so that, cs the accompanying letter said, “he could personally convince himself of the excellence of the firm's products.” That was bribery in a very delicate manner. Robert accepted the paint, which now embellishes his two villas, and the Paris firm got the order for paint for the new barracks. Sven if Robert, as lie attempts to do, proves that the villas have been paid for. he cannot esolpe getting into trouble, for the French army regulations expressly prohibit officers and official.from giving private orders to firms who at the same time are purveyors of tho Government. These are baldly the. facts of a case which, in Toulon and Paris, where the officer is well known, has created a painful impression. , Pans, May 20.