The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-05
GERMAN RE|SCHSTAG
BEGINS WEDNESDAY
Liberals and Socialists by
Combining, Can Control
the Assembly.
THE PERsoNAL.
(National Newu AssociationD

BERLIN. Feb. 6.-For the first time
in 0ermany's history. the liberal or So
cialistic parties will WELD the balance
Of power when the Reischstag con-
venes Wednesday. BY combination OF
the 10 Socialists, 46 National Liberals
and - Radicals, they will have a ma
jority Of thirteen over the combination
Of Cleficals. Conservatives and allied
parties.
The changed aspect Of the Reisch-
tag AZ q result Of the recent national
elections. 10 Of great import to all Ger
many. and to Europe as we'll. It means
that In many Of the pet measures of
the Kaiser and his Ministers. instead
OF being "railroaded" through the Ger
man Parliament will meet with stern
opposition.
Against Conservatives.
The three progressive parties of the
left are united against the conserva-
tives on all matters of international
economy. They will pull together for a
reduction of the burdensome taxation
system and the prohibitive tariffs
which have impoverished the poorer
classes Of the country, and they will
stand together in insisting on a reap
portionment Of the Reischtag districts
for the next national election.
AZ the districts are now portioned
out. the conservatives are able, in their
strongholds. to elect the same num-
Der of members to the Reischstag on
less than half as many votes as are re-
quired in the districts where the Lib
erals are strong Under an equitable
apportionment, the liberals of the last
recent. election would have received
majority Of delegates nearly twice as
large az the one now possessed by the
casting of the same number of ballots
for their candidates. This will be one
OF the most bitterly fought measures
that will come before the approaching
session. and 1t Ia certain to be intro
duced. according to declarations of lib
eral leaders. 1t will be more than vio-
lently opposed. however. by the con-
sentative parties. and the Kaiser him.
self 10 naturally set strongly against 1t.
War Policy. Favored.
Thus, all the parties of the left wing
are 40 one In matters of internal inter-
est. AZ to matters Of foreign policy. it
10 different The National Liberal party
which has but 81 votes, will vote
against the Socialists and Radicals and
with tho conservatives on all matters
Of national armament and defense,
which means that the time-honored
policy of warlike preparedness advo-
Gated years ago by the great Bismarck
will continue to hold forth. For the
swinging of the National Liberals
votes to the Right, will turn the ma
jorlty that way.
Accordingly the National Liberals
are strong enough to win victory on
every measure they favor. They hold
precisely the same position in the
Reischtag 40 10 held In the British Par
lament by the Irish Nationalists. who
can swing the vote either way by al
lying themselves with whichever party
they choose to support on q bill.
The real leader OF the Reischstag.
therefore. il not the head Of the So
cialists. who possess greater number
Of members than any other one party,
but the leader Of the National Liber.
ais, Herr Ernst Bassermann.
He and his party will support the
Kaiser's program for continued
maintenance Of the greatest standing
army, In Europe and for increased
strength Of the German navy.