The San Francisco call., 1908-11-23
GERMAN LIBERALS
FIGHT FOR POWER
Debate on Constitutional Amend
ment Resolution Will Be
Held December 2
Plan to Compel Representative
Government by Cutting Off
Money Appropriations

BERLIN, Nov. 22-The debate in
the reichstag on the motions intro
duoed by the socialists and radicals
demanding changes in the constitution
with the object Of making the chan
cellor and ministers responsible to par
lament and giving the sole power to
the reIchstag to declare war, viii prob
ably begin on December . The de-
bate is expected to last one day. or
two days at the most
The advanced liberals, whose aim is
10 convert the German political system
into government responsible TO par
lament. do not anticipate much from
the present reiehstag. because in the
DAYS when feeling ran the highest the
party leaders would not agree TO urge
the simplest resolution of censure or
inquiry
The radicals and socialists count
upon making their first great cam
paign in the elections Of 1912 unless
the house is dissolved sooner. The
power Of the associated monarchies
forming the German empire is en-
trenched in two principal ways-in the
bundesrath. which has equal legisla-
tive powers with the reichstag, and
IN the conservative and clerical parties,
which have. under the ancient system
Of the reichstag electoral districts, the
means for holding the majority in that
body by about a third Of the votes
cast.
BUNDESR IS BAR
The bundesrath, which consists Of SIS
members appointed by the sovereigns
Of the states Of Germany, except one
each from Hamburg, Bremen and Lu-
heck. stands directly across the path
Of a government responsible to the
elected representatives Of the people.
The kings, grand dukes, dukes and
princes who rule the federated states.
also through ministers responsible to
them alone while willing to unite in
limiting the freedom of initiative and
speech on the part of the king of Prus-
sia as emperor. are one with him in
their determination to resist represent
ative government. Fourteen votes in
the bundesrath against any amendment
to the constitution viii suffice for its
rejection. The emperor, as king Of
Prussia. nominates II Of the members
and as a consequence there is no pos
sible chance for Thea adoption Of ar
amendment without his consent
The radicals and socialists do not
doubt that by cutting of the money
appropriations they could in the end
compel the monarch TO grant full
representative government but they
must first command a majority in the
reiehstag, and that seemingly is only
possible through a prolonged and over
whelming agitation for 4 rearrange-
ment Of electoral districts. so that the
artisan classes in the industrial cen
ters shall have equal ballot rights with
the protected food growing interests
which are opposed to a change
NO CHANGE IN BOUNDARIES
There has been no change in the
boundaries Of the reichstag eonstitu-
encies since the empire was formed.
During the interval of 81 years the
populations have Increased from Al
600 600 to $4,000 0O0 The weight of the
population has shifted from the coun-
try 10 the town districts, hence it is
possible for "a per cent of the popula-
tion TO choose 5s per cent of the par
lament
The conservatives elect a member
with an average of .232 votes and the
socialists with an average of 1871
votes
The socialists in 1907 polled s.25s,O2s
votes and have 45 members in the
reichstag. The conservative parties
with 1-54s,T41 votes. have S5 members
and the clerical center. with 2I45O9s
ballots. have 104 members. Berlin. with
a population emitting it to 13 seats, is
permitted 10 elect only six members
while some Of the other large cities are
represented in similar ratio.