GKKMANV. 



315 



Riots. Tlio partial failure of crops in many 

 pnris of the empire, and the consequent . n-i- of 

 prices of lircail. coupled \vitli the di.-coiiteni of 

 the working clas-es and the failure of finding 

 work to provide their families with food, led to 

 scrioii-* riots of unemployed workmen in the city 

 of Merlin in the latter part of February, I *!'.'. 

 A iiody of unemployed workmen, numbering 

 from 8,000 Io4,00(). met in the suburb of Frieder- 

 ichshain under socialistic auspices. In inflam- 

 matory speeches the Government was denounced 

 for not providing work to keep the people from 

 starvation. A resolution was offered to inarch 

 in a body to the city, and to submit their griev- 

 ances to the Emperor. This suggestion was 

 taken up amid cheers and cries of "The Kaiser 

 mu>t see us! we need bread!" The crowd 

 marched into the city, shouting, "To the pal- 

 ace! to the palace!" Arrived at the Schlossplatx, 

 the mob was met by a detachment of police, who 

 made a charge upon them, trying to force them 

 liack. but their first attack was repelled. They 

 immediately rallied, however, and using their 

 sabers freely managed to check the onward 

 march of the mob, and after a short resistance 

 the crowd was put to flight, the police being 

 contented with arresting those within easy reach, 

 and allowing the remainder to escape. In the 

 evening the riot grew more serious, the rioters 

 being re-enforced by workingmen returning from 

 their work, and the whole body of police was 

 called on duty. The first alarm carne from the 

 in irt hern part of the city, where a crowd of about 

 400 men paraded the streets, plundered the 

 bake shops and other stores, and smashed the 

 windows along their line of march. On the ar- 

 rival of a detachment of police the mob wasdis- 

 pet-M'd. many arrests being made. Similar scenes 

 were enacted in other parts of the city. At 

 midnight the police had fairly managed to re- 

 store order, but the streets were sharply patroled 

 and gatherings immediately broken up. It was 

 expected that order would be preserved the next 

 day. but spasmodic and unorganized disturb- 

 ances occurred throughout the day and the two 

 days following, when order was finally restored. 

 A large number of rioters were seriously injured 

 by saber cuts from the police, and several police- 

 men fared badly at the hands of the mob. A 

 great number of persons were arrested, but the 

 majority were liberated after a few days of im- 

 prisonment, while the ringleaders were severely 

 punished. Emperor Wilhelm, on the second day 

 of the riots, went out for a ride on horseback, 

 attended only by a single aid-de-camp and pre- 

 ceded by two mounted policemen. This cour- 

 ageous action pleased the people, and he was 

 cheered in passing through the streets filled with 

 the highly excited populace. The Socialists dis- 

 claimed any participation in the affair, and at- 

 tributed the trouble TO the rough element in the 

 city. Similar but not quite as serious affairs oc- 

 curred in Dant/ig, Hanover, and Leipsic. 



The Reichstag'. The session of the Reichs- 

 tag which since May 6, 1890, had only been ad- 

 journed, was closed March :!1, is'.cj. 'The regu- 

 lar session was opened on Nov. 22 by a speech 

 of the Kmperor. in which he said: "In view of 

 our friendly relations with all the powers, and 

 the consciousness that in pursuing a common 

 end we shall continue to enjoy the effectual sup- 



port of the allied states, I cherish the hope that 

 (iermany will not be disturbed in her j.< . 

 endeavor to promote her ideal economic inti r- 

 At the same time, the development of the 

 military power of the other Kuropej.n Mat.- im- 

 poses on us the serious, nay, imperative, duty of 

 strengthening the defensive capacity of ti 

 pin; by thoroughgoing measure-." He announced 

 I lie introduction of a new military bill to 

 the expenses of an increase in the army ; further 

 taxation of beer and brandy, and also' of bourse 

 transactions, was proposed. 



The Army Bill. The most important meas- 

 ure of the session of 1892-'93 was the Army bill. 

 liy the law of 1887 the peace footing of the Ger- 

 man army was fixed at 468,409 men until March 

 31, 1894. This number was increased to -h 

 by the law of 1890, and it was necessary, there- 

 fore, to pass a new legislative enactment be-fore 

 April 1, 1894. The Government prepared a bill 

 which fixes the peace footing of the German 

 army, including corporals, on a yearly average 

 at 492,068 men from Oct. 1, 1893, to March 31, 

 1899. The infantry will be composed of 711 

 battalions, the cavalry of 477 squadrons, the 

 field artillery of 494 batteries, the foot artillery 

 of 37 battalions, the pioneers of 24 battalions, 

 the railway troops of 7, and the train of 21 bat- 

 talions. The average strength is calculated on 

 the principle that the infantry troops in general 

 will go through two years' active service with 

 the colors. The necessary changes in the estal>- 

 lishment of commissioned officers, doctors, and 

 officials will be regulated by the budget of the 

 empire. Privates can be promoted to vacant 

 posts as noncommissioned officers conditionally 

 upon the strength of the establishment being 

 otherwise maintained. The one-year volunteer! 

 are not included in the above figures. The Gov- 

 ernment, in setting forth its reasons for this in- 

 crease, draws attention to the alteration which 

 has taken place, to the disadvantage of the em- 

 pire, in the politico-military situation. 



The strengthening of the army and the short- 

 ening of the time of service implies the institu- 

 tion of supplementary organizations. As such 

 are to be counted the extension of the cadet 

 corps and of the preparatory and higher schools 

 for noncommissioned officers. Measures for in- 

 creased rewards for proficiency in tactics and 

 marksmanship, and for increased supplies of am- 

 munition for rifle practice, must IK- taken. The 

 training of the Ersatz reserve in its present 

 shape disappears altogether, but the institution 

 is maintained for certain purposes, such as train- 

 ing recruits, who do not quite come up to the 

 physical standard for bearing arms, in ambu- 

 lance and administrative duties. Reckoning the 

 future annual contingent of recruits to be en- 

 rolled in the active army at 235,000 men, in- 

 cluding 9,000 one-year volunteers, and taking 

 the total of 24 such annual contingents, with 

 due allowance for the normal increase of popu- 

 lation on the one hand and fora normal waste 

 of 25 per cent, on the other, (iermany will have, 

 when the new system has been fully developed, 

 a total force of 4,400,000 trained men, thus over- 

 taking France with -J.O.Vi.iXH) men, and remain- 

 ing slightly behind Russia with nearly 5,000.(KK). 



Foreign Relations. The Czar, in the be- 

 ginning of June, lf?92, at length returned tho 



