The Poles in Prussia are, of course, silent in fear
of the law of lese-majeste, but the Slays of Austria have taken up the quarrel of their kinsfolk, and on Tuesday a Czech Member of the Reichstag poured out a flood of insulting comment on the German Emperor, whom he called Caligula, and accused of being an enemy of Austria. So violent was his language that the Viennese papers shrank from a textual report, and that on the following day the Austrian Premier thought it necessary to make an apology to his master's ally, and to ask the House gravely how it was possible, if such language were tolerated, to conduct negotiations with any hope of success. The remonstrance was just and dignified, the abusive speaker having stepped completely over the line which separates protest from mere insult; but it cannot be wise of the German Emperor thus to inflame race feeling. He is King of his Polish as well as his Prussian subjects, the former have a right to prosper if they can, and their very powerlessness makes such sentences when uttered by the Sovereign cut like whip-strokes. It may very well happen that in some hour of stress the alienation of the Slav vote may cost Germany the adhesion of Austria,—that is, the aid of a million thoroughly trained soldiers. Granting all the claims of Germany to a superior civilisation, men whom you ask to die for you deserve respect.
