The Washington times., 1916-03-27
THE REICnsTAd'S PARLIAMEN.
TARY MUSS

Americans who were amused re-
Gently at the German efforts to an
alyze and understand the perform
ance in Congress apropos the Gore
and McLemore resolutions, will find
that the, boot is on the other leg il
they try to figure just what the
schism in the German Socialist party
means. Our explanations will per-
haps be quite as amusing to Ger
mans in Germany, as their concep-
ton OF our recent complication was
to us.
There are now about 100 avowed
Socialists in the Reichstag, indicat-
ing a great loss of strength since
the war began; but the Socialist
group remains one of the strongest,
at least nominally. Before the war
it was decidedly the most numerous; /;
seemingly we'll on the way to be-
coming a majority. Many people
believe that the desire to create a
diversion o. political interest from
Socialist demands was a leading
reason for starting the war. If so,
the plan has succeeded, for Social
ism has suffered sadly.
Herr Bebel, idol of German social
ism, had been succeeded as its par
liamentary leader by Haas. Haas
and the extreme anti-war element
on Friday last voiced tumultuous
protest against the course of af-
fairs. Haas declared that the war
would never end in victory for either
side, and therefore peace negotia-
tions should be started at once. The
majority of Socialists, and all other
groups, regarding this as little less
than reasonable; as serving notice
on the world that Germany is weak
ening.
Imagine that Leader Mann and a
minority of the Republican, in our
House of Representatives should
flock off by themselves, and Mr..
Mann, without notifying the Re-
publican caucus of his intentions,
should make speech declaring that
the Underwood tariff is the best rev.
enue law this country ever had, and
that not line of it ought to be
changed! That would cause, in
American politics, a fair parallel to
the rumpus that Haas anu his fol-
lowers kicked up.
The Socialist caucus met, lust as
we may imagine the Republican
caucus would; and the Socialists pro-
ceeded to expel the Haas group from
further relations with the organiza-
tion, or admittance to party coun-
sells; just as the Republican caucus
would be likely to do in the case
that has been supposed.
BY vote of SO to 3S this reso-
luton of expulsion was adopted. A
vote of like proportions, expelling
an insurgent minority from the Re-
publican caucus, would mark a most
serious political situation. It. would
testify to the most ominous split in
a great party; and it cannot be re-
garded as indicating anything less
in the Reichstag and in Germany.
Not all of the thirty-three who
opposed expulsion were themselves
ready to leave the party organiza-
ton; but eighteen Socialists did ac-
cept the expulsion as applying to
themselves, withdrew, and have or
ganized a new parliamentary group.
1t calls itself, with true German
elaboration, the "Faction of the So
cial Democratic Working Confrater-
nifty" Pretty soon they will COM
pound, no doubt, a single German
word to express all that, and the
horrors of war will be appreciably
augmented.
1t is not easy to indulge inferences
as to what all this signifies, with re-
gard to German national sentiment.
The fact that any respectable par
liamentary group has dared take
such position and to voice it's
views in the Reichstag, is hardly
more significant than that this
group has as leader of it's rebellion
the chosen head of the Socialist
party. 1t may not be an incident of
first-class significance in Germany;