Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-01-09


| This is the view that has now been
adopted by the Germans. Whatever
J else may be said Of them they are
! the most practical people on the face
/ OF the globe 1t is this particular
quality that has enabled them until
now TO offer such a marvellous resist
aNce to the immense coalition
| against them of 6 foreign powers,
comprising no less than half OF the
entire human race Last summer,
after their defeat before Vordun,
they invested Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg with the powers of
dictator, superior to those, not only
/ Of the chancellor Of the empire, but
even Of the Kaiser
Frances situation Severe.
In France the situation is such
that unless Prime Minister BRAND
! in the immediate future prorogues or
dissolyes both chambers Oft he ma
tiCnal legislature, by means of q
coup d'etat (since he cannot cocn-
! stitutionally dissolve The lower
chamber without the consent Of the
stnate), he himself and his govern
ment will be overthrown by the par
lament, which is distinctly hostile
: to him and to his colleagues
In fact, the chambers are render
! ing his position altogether intoler-
able, not only in the matter of the
conduct of the war and OF the direc-
ton of domestic affairs, but also in
/ regard to Frances relations with her
allies. It is not his position alone
that is menaced, but also that Of
President Poincare. and as the pres
cnce Of these two men at the head Of
the government is considered inn
| pcrative in London, In pctrograd
and at Rome, the institution OF Il die
tGtorate on the banks Of the Seine
would be heartily welcomed in these
! four capitals
Other Allies Want Dictator.
In the same way it is hoped in
France. in Russia and in Italy, that
Lloyd George may see his way to get
rid OF parliament within the next
few weeks and establish n dctatorate
to direct the affairs OF the empire
throughout the remainder OF the war
II in that case it We're the fate OF
Great Britain to 70 down in ultimate
defeat, which Is unthinkable. Lloyd
George would undoubtedly suffer inn
pcachmont for his violation OF the
| constitution. But ii he can bring
success to British arms and victory
! to the empire and to its allies, no
one Of his political foes will dare to
even suggest impeachment. and from
being now regarded as the necessary
nay the Indispensable man by tho
nation, ho viii then be hailed as its
hero.
The special war committee, which
he has just formed would undoubt-
edly be comprised in any dictatorate
that he might form Composed as it
is of members Of the pliyy counclcl,
it would to all intcnts and purpose
be committee OF the council. Now
the privy council, in ordinary times,
and still moro since the enactment
OF the defense OF the realm laws at
the beginning OF the conflict, is in
vested with extraordinary powers
powers that override the ordinary
law OF tho land and all civil rights
Authority Practically Unlimited.
There is practically no limit to the
authority which the king and his
premier can exercise by means OF the
plivy council the dccrees of which
arc the modern equivalent to the
medieval ordinances Htnd TO the des-
potic proclamations so frequently
used by the Tudor and Stuart SOW
ereigns
Lloyd George, as dictator, would
rule through orders in council and
in the name Of the sovereign, but
without the assistance or cooperation
Of parliament These orders have
statutory force until repealed by act
OF parliamcnt-tha is to say, with
drawn by the sovereign. Parliament,
not being in session, would have no
means of expressing its views and
when eventually reassembled at the
close OF the war would be called
upon to pass either an ACT OF indem-
nifty for Lloyd George or an, act OF
impeachment"
SO far "Ex-Attache." When the
gentleman speaks OF Hindenburg as
a dictator he is amusing Hin
denburg Is directing the German Ar
mics, he has nothing to do with the
government, the Chancellor, and the
Bundesrath, and Che Rclchstag are
still running the civil government OF
Germany and it's foreign policy and
they VIII not allow Ilindenburg OF.
anybody else do it for them. a die
tatorship may be possible and nee
cssary In the democratic" countries
OF Great Britain and France, but
never in the "autocratic" country Of
Germany And that is, because every
one Of the 20 millions OF Germans is
q dictator to himself; everyone of
tho 70 millions cf Germans dictates
on TO himself sacrifices and service to
his country, knowing well enough
that without sacrifice and service he
would soon have no country