New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-07
Germany Now a Democracy,
Declares Reichstag Leader
Autocracy Abolished in Most Momentous Week in
Empires History" Says Ezberger-Asserts Kaiser
Sanctions Participation of Parliament in Government
BY BRIGGS

cialists had made it condition OF their
support that Radical Deputy be taken
into both the imperial Cabinet and the
Prussian Cabinet. They declare they
laid down this condition as an apso-
lutely indispensable one.
"Vorwarts," the Socialist organ, To-
day takes firm stand against any leg
erdemain with the ministerial posts
1t declares that the Socialist party,
while renouncing office for itself, con-
siders the appointment of Radical Dep
uties to leading posts in the Imperial
and state governments absolutely nee
essary.
Deputy Packnicke, a Radical, also
visited Chancellor Won Hertlng, pre-
sumably on the same mission. The
Radical party, although less insistent
than the Socialist, is in a way COM
| mitted to the appointment Of Deputy
Won Payer, having labored with the So
cialists to bring him to see the politi-
cal necessity of his entrance into the
government.
The "Tageblatt" reports very strong
opposition to Herr Won Payers appoint
ment from the forces of reaction. The
question has now become a burning
issue, affecting the further development
of the situation.
Demand Promise Be Kept
In an address On Sunday at Elbing,
West Prussia, Philip Scheidemann,
the German Socialist leader, said his
party would support the new German
government if it kept its promises, in
GLIDING those for equ'l rights in Prus-
STA, abolition of political censorship
and concessions to labor.
The support of the Socialists also
was conditional, he said, on the carry
ing out by the government OF clear
and firm foreign policy in furtherance
of everything compatible with Ger
many's honor and future for the at
tainment of a speedy and lasting peace.
Otherwise. said Herr Scheidemann, the
Socialists would fight the new govern
ment as they had fought the Michaelis
regime.
Once equal rights in Prussia were
granted and control of the Reichstag
majority over the makeup of the
government and its policy were es-
tablished- developments which were
springing into being before their eyes
there would be no excuse, Herr
Scheidemann declared, for refusing to
I negotiate pchCt WIFI OH lHb
pretext that it was ruled autocratic-
ally.
In the midst Of the general exulta-
ton in Germany over the victories on
the Isonzo and Riga fronts and the de-
mands for revision Of the peace pro-
gramme in accordance with the new
war map, German business classes are
beginning to obey the injunction to
consider the commercial map as well.
An increasing amount of attention is
devoted by the newspapers to the
growing difficulties of reestablishing
German foreign trade after the war.
Fear Loss of Trade
Articles in serious newspapers, even
of pan-German views, are found almost
every day, in which il is pointed out
that diplomatic breaks with China and
Central and South America republics,
instead of being source OF amuse-
ment on account OF the military unim-
portance of these nations, mean the
loss of Germany's hard-won CONNER
cial position in these markets and in
crease the difficulties of the uphill
fight TO rebuild the foreign trade after
the war.
Business men protest that these diff
If the government persists in it's plan
OF establishing control OF imports and
shipping after the return of peace and
Of restricting private initiative. Some
of them go further and demand indem-
MITIGATION by the state Of men engaged
in foreign trade for war losses, and
state financial assistance in the post
bellum offensive against foreign mar
kets.
There is we'll authenticated story
of a conference between Emperor Will
IAN, Field Marshal Won Hindenburg.
General Won Ludendorff and Albert
Balm, head of the Hamburg American
Line, during last summer. in which the
Hamburg shipping magnate. after
listening to the glowing account OF the
military situation given by the mill
tary leaders, told the Emperor that
every extra month of the war meant
an additional year in getting out OF
tho slough OF the ruin after the war
He declared he did not expect TO live
20 see Germany out Of her difficulties.