GERMAN POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 19

GERMAN POLITICS.

NAVAL EXPANSION DEMANDED. J BERLIN, December 5. Herr Hermann Paascjbe/ a National Liberal, and Vice-president of the Diet, etartled the Reichstag by offering to produce Count Hoheriau's compromising letters, which had been submitted to a. Potsdam court-martial 24 hours before. General yon Einem stated that nothing had been proved against Count Hohenau. The uproar then increased, Herr Lattmann, an anti-Semitic, remarking that Herr Paasche's son was engaged to Herr Hardens niece. Prince von-Bulow's expropriation proposals in connection with Poland aTe experiencing strong opposition' in the Prussian Diet. ', December 6. The Bloc tendered to Prince yon Bulow in the Reichstag, amid their supporters' cheers and 4heir opponents' hilarity, an assurance of allegiance. The Committee of the Prussian Diet, by 19* to 9, rejected the Polish Expropriation Bill. At the end of last month a cablegram stated that Prince yon Bulow had introduced a bill asking for a credit of £17,500,000 for the purpose of further Germanising the Polish provinces by ex? propri&ting the land of the Polish owners. Prinoe yon Bulow declared that there was no, hope of the .Government abandoning the policy which Prinoe Bismarck had initiated. < LONDON, December 5. ' The Daily Telegraph explains that Herr Hardens niece is a daughter of Herr Witting, a banker, and one of the ablest National Liberal deputies in the Prussian Diet. ' ■ . , ■ r •„----• General yon Einem's reply, reiterating his previous minimising the meaning of Count Hohenau's letter, and adding that Count Hohenau and v^ount 1 Lynar had placed themselves at the dis- ', ipoaal of the; -Court of^Jnqujry,' l«d to an abrupt adjournment t'of frthe : debate by the votes of a bloc consisting of Conservatives, National ' Liberals^ * Anti-Semites, , and Radicals. The bloc usually supports '. the Government. ' The Social Democrats asked the reason ' for the adjournment, and Herr Basser- \ ■ mann said, "To study General yon Einem's reply." , The North German Gazette lifts the veil and explains that before General voh" Einem's reply had been made Prince yon Bulow summoned and 'informed the leaders of- the bjoc that.it was impossible to ,- continue the general policy if the . elements attacked the Government and each other. He suggested an adjournment to enable the bloc to consider the position. ' The bloc journals declare that he threatened to resign unless they harmoni1 ously supported, him. ' Reuter declares that the main question is that of taxation. - The National Liberals i favour direct taxes. and the" Federal Coun- 1 cil. opposes them. , ' .' . ,'j The Daily Mail says, in connection with ) the Reichstag incident, that the Bloc met , and decided to adhere to a fusion policy, : but the vital question how to coyer the < deficit of six millions is still .unsettled. .' December 6. ( The Times' Berlin correspondent sug- • gests that Prince yon Bulow wished the , ' opportunity to crack the Government ' whip before really serious matters,' finan- • cial and otherwise, were discussed. He ] secures the Bloc's binding .confession of < faith, and has thrown, on their responsi- i bilHy the crisis, and has thus safeguarded' • his* own position. - ' The uproar during the Tes^ of the ,sjt- j ting of the Reichstag was so great that < "the. Imperial Estimates and the new Navy 1 Bill were read a first time without discus- ' sion. " Thp bill providing for the. renewal of the j favoured-nation treatment -to.- the British i ■ [Eanpire for two years was read a first and second time. It is understood that all jaarties favoured the bill. - December 7. a The Berlin correspondent of The Times ,

states tjiat the Bloc section of the Reichstag is united in its determination for a strong navy, with or without sound finances or fresh taxation, and that the Radicals now demand expansion until the navy is an instrument for potential pressure upon the British Imperial and foreign policy. It was announced a few days ago that a sequel to the Moltke affair was that a court of honour would try Count Hohenhau and Count Lynar.