New Britain herald., 1917-07-16
What Will new
TEUTON PREMIER Do?
George Michaelis Is Now Target
Of Worlds Conjecture


Michaelis, bureaucrat without even a
noble Won before his name. has as
yet given no indication Of his policy
regarding reform and peace. Neither
the Conservatives nor the Liberals
have as yet ventured to call him their
own.
The Cfanceilors first step, which
might be interpreted as an indication
Of open mind, was to receive repre-
sentatives of the two divergent groups
il the ReichstaS and permit them to
explain their respective standpoints,
-he Chancellor playing the role of
listener 70 the conversations conducted
by the Vice Chancellor, DR.. Karl Helf-
fcrich and the Reichstag representa-
tives.
Tho German papers unite in char
acterfzations Of his energy and fair
Inindedness. nut arc most reserved in
their predictions Of his probable pol
icy Their papers aligned for the So
called German peace are perhaps a
shade more enthusiastic about the po-
litical possibilities under the new
regime than the radical and Socialist
organs.
The Cologne EolkszejtunS. the Cath
Ollie organ of Pan German sympathies,
says that DR.. Mchaelis undoubtedly
stands nearer the Right than the Left
parties. The line of the comment evil
IDENTITY emanating from Wilhelmstrasse
is that the new Chancellor regards as
his mission the restoration of the in
ternal harmony of the nation what
ever policy may be adopted. No mat
ter what else may result. the change
will undou btedly mean the disappear
ance of the Won Bethmann peace pro-
gram
Hcl-cs's ro,icy Personal.
D.. vo, Ecthra-'n Hollwcg's policy
rekr rd:ra thu ultimate aims of the
waT had from the beginning been a
pers ma one in which the Chancel-
lor above the parties" had formed a
program above Parliamentary parties,
the military authorities, and the El~-
pero1 alike. and he endeavored by
gentle. steady pressure and sugges-
ton to impose it upon a changeful
sovereign oscillating between vistas of
brilliant ambition and realization of
cold facts; upon the puissant military
caste represented by Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg, and General Luden-
.dorff and laundering. unbrilliant
Parliament.
The appointment of DR.. Michaelis
undoubtedly means new deal of the
cards. Berlin papers which were pub
lished before tho appointment of Dr.
Michaelis wa known to throw further
light upon the circumstances of Won
Bethmann Hollweg's retirement. They
show that the Emperor was confront
ed by the necessity of dropping the
Imperial Chancellor or virtually the
entire Prussian Cabinet, the members
of which, including the War Minister,
General Won Stein, a soldier, not a pol
itician, submitted their designations,
declaring that they could not remain
if Won Bethmann Hollweg was re-
tanned
Hertling Against Hollweg.
The Bavarian Premier. Count Won
Herting. who favored moderate peace
proposals. but refused fatty to accept
the idea of a Parliamentary Ministry.
which would diminish Bavarias spe
ctal influence upon the Government,
seems to have thrown himself into the
struggle against Won Bethmann at the
last minute. The Bavarian Centrist
members of the Reichstag started an
anti-von Bethmann revolt within the
party. and the Crown Prince made val
id his long standing objections to the
Imperial Chancellor.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg and
General Ludendorf were again sum-
noned to Berlin not to interfere, &C
cording to the unanimou accounts in
the Berlin papers, in the political side
of the situation. but to sidetrack the
proposed peace resolution by encour-
aging reports of the military situation
and to inspire the mem bers of the
Reichstae with belief in the possibili-
~ Of obtaining that German peace
worthy of the sacrifices made" to
which Won Hindenburg over and over
again had committed himself in his
published replies to the memorials OF
psn-Gcrman organizations.
Before the selection of DR.. Michael1s
became known the papers generally
agreed that Won Bethmann Hollweg's
retirement would be accompanied by
sweeping changes in the imperial and
Prussian administrations. The feeling
was general that a large part of the
Secretaries of State and Ministers who
had been in office since and before the
war and had exhausted, til cir efficiency
md availa bility through long cont1nu-
ance at their posts under the tremend-
ous responsibilities Of the war should
oe removed.
AUSTRIA SHOULD QUIT.