THE GERMAN SCANDALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13650, 18 January 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE GERMAN SCANDALS.

SPEECH BY PRINCE BULOW.

A. DEBATE on the Budget, in the . German Reichstag was unexpectedly interrupted by a remarkable speech by Prince Bulow oil the German Court - scandals reveajed in the hearing of Count Moltke's suit for criminal libel against Herr Harden, editor of the Zukunft. Prince Billow vigorously denounced the "chatter arid liefc" and the "senseless calumnies" current concerning the army and the nobility, declaring that the* nation was sound to the core.

After a reference by Dr. Spahn, the leader of the Centre, to the Court scandals, Prince Bulow rose quickly to his feet and said ;—

" I did not at first intend to take part in the debate, but the absence of the Minister for War compels me to make a protest against the manner in which Dr. Spahn has expressed himself concerning the Moltke-Harden trial and the conditions in the army, and especially against his speaking of the infection of whole cavalry regiments and of the anxiety parents must have felt when they sent their sons to those regiments. We have here unproved statements which ought not to be repeated in this House without proof. ("Hear, hear.") I most emphatically repudiate the reproach applied in this general way. (Cheers.) "In so far as the Moral offences of individuals were credibly revealed by the Moltke-Harden case, they filled me, too, with disgust and shame, and I do not doubt for a moment that our military administration will do everything to extirpate such horrors ferro efc igni. But I object to the assumption that the German people and the Germany army' are not thoroughly sound to the core. "Just as there is no one who doubts the moral earnestness of our Sovereigns, who give so beautiful an example to the whole country in their family life, so surely Germany is no Sodom, and conditions such as those which marked the decaying Roman Empire do riot prevail in the German army; and you may rely upon it that our Emperor himself will sweep out with a vigorous broom everything which does not accord with the [ purity of his life and his house. (Cheers.)

" Thank God, our nobility as well as our middle classes, our military circles as well as our civil callings, stand so honourably that the excesses of a few individuals cannot besmirch them.

' 4 Dr. Spahn appeared surprised that those practices were not sooner brought to the notice of the highest quarter. I believe that our military authorities in this matter are not open to reproach, and that they are not chargeable with any remissness or negligence. And if I am asked how it is that the Imperial Chancellor did not sooner inform the Emperor my answer is that it was only in the spring of this year that anything in the nature of fact, or even tangible, was brought to my notice. It has also been asked why at least then were not the articles in the Zukunft laid before the Emperor. The heir to the throne was entitled to do that. The Crown Prince was doing an act of filial piety towards his father and was acting in the interests of the country when he drew his father's. attention to these attacks. The action he took had no official character, and was no act of State. " SENSELESS CALUMNIES." " A responsible Minister is, however, quite differently placed. He can only advance serious accusations of that kind when lie can at the same time bring forward proofs. What is there nowadays that escapes chatter and lies? ("Hear, hear.") Have I not myself been the subject of shameful suspicions and senseless calumnies? (Loud cheers.) - The Imperial Chancellor could not take action on mere denunciations. " When the Emneror first spoke to me of the matter, I said His Majesty should now look neither to the right hand nor to the left, but must think only of keeping the escutcheon of his. own house and of the army unspotted. That was spoken to the Emperor from the bottom of my heart. (Loud cheers.) ,1 now come to the question of the camarilla. " I said last year ' Camarilla is no German word; camarilla is a poisonous foreign plant, and no one has- ever attempted "to introduce that poisonous plant into Germany without great harm to prince and people.' Words have repeatedly been put into my mouth which I never used. " What sort of a monarch must that be under whom a camarilla can develop and gain influence ? For a camarilla without influence is no camarilla at all. The first condition for the flourishing of this poisonous plant is the seclusion and the lack of self-reliance of the monarchs. " Many reproaches have been hurled at the Emperor, hut that he secluded himself from intercourse and had no will of his own has, so far as T know, never been charged against him. I think, therefore, it is time once and for all to put an end to the chatter, gossip, and whispers about a camarilla. (" Hear, hear.") Let us throw this word back to the place where it belongs— to the past."

The Imperial Chancellor then proceeded to controvert the assertions of the Centre press as to the dissolution of the Reichstag having taken olace in order to protect him (the Chancellor) against personal attacks and intrigues.