Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-02
KAISER NOT SOVEREIGN
Herr Muller SO Declares in
Reichstag Debate.
LEGAL LIMIT DEMANDED
Question of Ministerial Responsible.
ity Up for Discussion.
Won BUELOW NOT PRESENT
DR.. Holweg Announces Bundesrath's
Readiness to Receive Proposals
From Reichstag.

BERLIN. December DIR. Bethmann-
Holweg, minister of the interior. speak
ing in behalf OF Chancellor Won Buelow,
opened the debate in the reichstag today
on the question of the possible legal regu-
laton of ministerial responsibility.
Never before has the reichstag chamber
been crowded. The minister declared
that the bundesrath. although fully aware
of the extraordinary importance Of the
constitutional question, was not prepared
to do anything before definite proposals
from majority Of the reichstag had been
presented to the council. When this was
done the proposals would be given ear
nest consideration.
DR.. Heinrich Muller. member from
Meiningen. then proposed resolution de-
manding on behalf of the moderate radi-
Gals the enactment of a law providing
for ministerial responsibility. He urged
the house not to allow the constitution
as it exists today to become petritied.
and declared that the members should
avail themselves of the present opportun-
ity TO bring about change.
Emperor Not Sovereign.
Continuing. Herr Muller said the ma
ton desired that the ministers be really
responsible instead of being as they
were today. morally responsible" a con-
dftion which he described as mere in
tangible phraseology. The logical out
come Of the axiom that the king can
do no wrong was that the kings min
listers should take over the entire re-
Sponsibility Of the government. If this
axiom led to the mystical idea that the
monarch personally was infallible. COM
mon sense would revolt But the em-
peror. the speaker continued, was not
the sovereign of Germany: it was only
as president Of the federal governments
that he took premier position in the
councils.
In conclusion. Herr Muller proposed
that all five motions on the matter Of
ministerial responsibility be referred TO
q special committee
While Herr Muller was speaking Prince
August william, the fourth son of the
emperor, and his wife accompallied by n
numerous suite of officers and ladies' Of
the court. entered the royal gallery. They
came from the University of Berlin,
where the prince received his degree to-
day. and remained during the rest of the
debate.
Herr Muller was followed by Herr
Spain of the center party. who generally
supported his utterances. Herr Spain de-
clared that the time had arrived for MIN
thing.
Socialist Amuses Chamber.
Georg LedebOur, socialist, kept the
house in roars of laughter for over an
hour by reciting the extraordinary
lengths 10 which the imperial chancellor
and the ministers might go under existing
conditions.
When called to order for indulging in
personalities he turned his phrase amid
general laughter into any chancellor in
any land
Continuing. the socialist member said
that Chancellor Won Buelow had not treat
ed parliament in a proper spirit today
by remaining away. He should have been
present to hear the demand of the Ger
man nation that 1t be treated as an adult,
Tor 1t no longer required the guardian
ship of an effete bureaucracy. The per-
sonal element in politics. said Herr Lede-
bour. was the natural accompaniment of
sham constitution.