Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-06
HOPE ABANDONED
FOR EARLY PEACE
German Reichstag May Be
Continued Through, Con-
trary to Constitution.
WAR ELECTION DIFFICULT
By The Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
COPENHAGEN, July 6.-Tentative
suggestions as to the advisability
of electing a new reichstag with
out waiting for the end of the war are
being put forward in German. radical
circles. Dr. Bernhard Dernburg
former secretary of state for the
colonies, said in discussing a radical
convention in Schleswig- Holstein that
it would be improper for a reich
stag Of such out-of-d date origin. elected
under such different conditions. to ven-
ture to pass upon the question of peace.
The TagebIatt points out that the
bill extending the life of the present
reichStag another year, which will be
voted upon this week. would result in
a seven-year term, which would be
contrary to the constitution. Although
elections in time of war are conceded
to be difficult, the Tageblatt says it
remarking that there Is no prospect
of early restoration of peace.
T. Extension Is Likely.
Other parties have manifesto no de-
sire to hold elections, and, as the radi-
Gals are not pressing the matter an
probably will be voted.
The socialist newspaper Vorwaerts
of Berlin says there is no doubt that
the vote of the constitutional commit
tee of the reichstag today will result
in rejection of the socialist proposal
to introduce universal and equal suf-
frage in the federated states by action
of the reichstag.
The Vorwaerts modif1es slightly its
recent declaration that if this proposal
should be rejected the socialists would
have no interest in the further doings
of the constitutional committee. 1t ex-
presses hope of the acceptance of res
olution of the radicals setting forth in
vague phraseology the desire that
equality of citizenship be introduced in
all the federated states. This resolu-
tion is designed to put on record an
expression of opinion by a ajority of
the reichstag.
Held Mark of Disrespeet.
The representatives of the govern
ment have taken no part in the debate
in committee. This, the vorwaerts in
terprets as a deliberate mark of disre-
spect for the wishes of great majority
Of the people. The debate itself has
risen to no high level to correspond
with the Importance of the subject
Most of the speakers have played for
Herr Meininger, radical deputy, said
in introducing the radical resolution
that the people were calling for deeds,
not promises, from the government, be-
cause they feared that in the end they
would again be tricked.
Protest to Vatican.
DR.. Alfred Zimmerman, secretary of
foreign affairs. announced to commit
tee Of the reichstag, according to news
reaching here, that representations
have been made to the Vatican regard
ing the pastoral letter of Cardinal Mer-
cfer wherein he spoke in forcible terms
of Germany's crimes and outrages in
Belgium. The letter was published in
the French press and was the subject
Of angry comment by German newspa-
pers
In consequence of vigorous represen-
tations in the reichstag main commit
tee the preventive censorship imposed
a few days ago on the Frankfurter lei
tung has been raised. The measure was
the reRulf of financial rficla NV pro$