New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-18
Government Forces Adjourn
ment-Reform Measures
Are Held Up
Hollweg Has Peace
Hopes, Press Hints
Intimate Chancellor Still Be-
lieves Agreement with
Entente Allies Possible

Neichstag has adjourned till July d. IL
has not obtained from the cautious
Chancellor any satisfaction regarding
the governments peace programme, nor
has it made any progress toward the
desired constitutional reforms, beyond
the acceptance of the proposal for
greater representation for a few over
grown Reichstag districts.
The adjournment was not altogether
voluntary. The government, which de-
sires to have its hands free from the
embarrassment of parliamentary de-
bates for "the great moment which II
feels may come in the course of the
summer, intimated that the session OF
the Reichstag might otherwise be
closed by imperial order-a procedure
which involves the death of all unhn-
ished business, and which would IN
clude in this case the work of the con-
stitutional reform committee.
The German newspapers which have
been working for peace interpret the
Chancellor's speech as an invitation 70
Russia to make separate peace, anu
confirmation Of the Socialist intima-
tions that the governments programme
for a settlement in the East inciudes
Polish plebiscite to determine whether
the new kingdom which the Ceh'ra
poyers are endeavoring to establlsh III
Russ;an Poland shall obtain its inde-
nendence or gravitate into the sphere
of influence of Germany or Russia
ChancelIor's Peace Hopes
c,ch newspapers, including "Nor-
warts" lament that the speech '"'''
80. an intention, in case this plan
succeeds of making the Western pow
ers pay for the war, once Russia Is ae
,acbed Some significant indications
NAV however, be observed in the De',''
mann press, particularly the franA,
furter "Zeitung," that the lmper'a'
Chancellor still hopes to come 10 some
terms with the Western powers "A ais
patch to that paper from Vienna just
after the Chancellor's visit to Count
Czernin. the Austro-Hungarian Foreign
Minister. puts forth this suggestion tc
England:
"Utilize the psychological moment
before the md-European harvest De-
Gins. to approach the Central Powers
with peace proposals which might pos
sibly lead TO peace. IL would De di'l'
cul. for any government to reject such
nroposals. Should the Entente powers
neglect the opportunity catastrophe
for them is certain"
The Chancellor seemed able to con-
vince the great majority OF the house
including probably the Scheidemanr
Socialists. of the wisdom OF his pollc!
Of saving nothing which would tend t6
make the Russian people forget party
struggles and prosecute the war vigor'
o,si, or on the other hand, would bal
Germany from obtaining greater ad'
vantages should the progressive weak
eninc Of Russia continue.
Legislation Hurried Through
Tho so-called Bethmann bloc of the
,,;dd,e narties between Herr Scheide
mann and Count Westarp was, as pre-
d;cted. recon stituted, despite the earlier
announcement by the radicals that the,
would be satisfied with nothing less
than internal reform. and the state
r,ents of a section of the National Lib
erals in favor of sweeping programme
of annexations.
The party leaders, finding little SEN
timent for vigorous prosecution oi
,abors against the government wishes
decided TO hurry through the rest OF
the sessions programme, postponlnc
what could be postponed, and devotine
to the debates on the censorship, mar
tial law and food regulation questions
each of which would normally be
Good for a weeks discussion-only a
few hours each.
Interpellations on the enforcement
If the precautionary arrest procedure
in Alsace and Lorraine, where the mill
tarv authorities disregarded the minis
terial promises and set aside the Law
which parliament passed expressly to
end these abuses, were tabled. The
War Ministry gave explicit assurance
that the military governors would be
forced TO observe the law and that d
responsible military commander for the
whole area would be appointed to carry
out it's enforcement-a promise with
which even the Alsatian representa-
tives were content
Aear Cermanv Paid