New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-06-05
The Reichstag Defined.
New York Times.)

e~ New York Times.) ~.
In England, as in America, some
what hazy notion prevails in the pop
ular mind as to the function and pow
ers of the German Reichstag. The
fact that the members of this body
are elected "by universal suffrage
and ballot" gives misleading idea
of it's democratic character. 1t is
common to hear comment on the
proof it furnishes of democratic
principle existing in the government
of the German Empire despite the
autocratic regulation of the affairs
of the realm.
A recently published pamphlet by
Ernest Barker, entitled The Sub
merged Nationalities of the German
Empire and issuing from the Gar
enden Press, oxford, contains chap
ter especially designed to correct this
misconception. MIR. Barker says.
The Reichstag cannot control the
Empire. The Empire is federation
of state governme nts; and it is the
federal council, consisting of repre-
sentatives appointed and instructed by
the governments of the states, which
controls the Empire. The Reichstag
a popular body, elected by direct and
universal suffrage, has one real
power; it votes the federal taxes.
Unfortunately it is split into so many
groups that the government, if only it
makes concessions enough to different
groups to form a majority, need never
despair of gaining the taxes it needs.
The Reichstag does not control the
federal administration; the Imperial
Chancellor, who is it's head and who
presides in the federal council, is
nominated by and responsible to the
empero. The Reichstag may pass
votes of censure on the chancellor;
they do not necessarily affect his posi-
ton DR.. Won Bethmann- H ollweg was
as firm in his seat after 1914 as he was
before. Nor does the Reichstag really
control legislation. Important meas
ufes are prepared by the chancellor
and the federal council and the
measures proposed by the Reichstag
have to receive the approval of the
federal council in order to become
law. Ont the whole, the Reichstag is
a debating body, which can cause the
government Inconvenience by its con-
troll of supplies, but otherwise can do
expressions of opinion. This must
remain the case as long as Germany
remains a federation of state govern
ments. There cannot be any parlia-
mentary sovereignty exercised by the
Reichstag while the government of
Germany depends on the will of the
majority of state governments as ex-
pressed by their representatives in the
federal council. In any case, the
Reichstag cannot, control Prussia On
the contrary, Prussia controls the EN-
pire. The rest of the Empire put to-
gether is not much more than half
the size of Prussia. The Prussian
king is German emperor; the Prus-,
sian prime minister is imperial chan
cellor; the Prussian army, except for
the armies of Bavaria, Saxony, and
Wurtemberg, is the German army
, The Empire" William I, once said.
is just simply an extended Prussia"
The saying is, perhaps, an exagger-
alton Prussia, for instance, has less
than half the seats in the federal
council Yet, in the last resort, the
saying Is true. What Prussia wills
strongly Germany has to will.
Possibly the Inconvenience" which
I the Reichstag can cause the Govern
ment by It's control of supplies is
undressing ted in this presentation of
the facts, but the picture clearly indi-
Gates the supeficiality of the arrange
| ment regarded as an expression of
the democratic principle. Ill.,
x