New-York tribune., 1917-11-01
Radicals and Socialists Say
Appointment Will Not
End Crisis
Trick Is Suspected
Attitude on Prussian Fran
chise Reform May Mol
lify Pan-Germans .

COPENHAGEN. Oct. 3i.-A survey
Of the German press shows that Count
Won Hertling's candidacy for the Chan.
cellorship is regarded on all sides, ex-
cept by his own Centre party. as de-
cidedly questionable, IL not as sub
ject for grave concern.
The tone Of the Radical and Social
Mt press indicates the probability that
the appointment, if accepted. would not
end the latest crisis, but would cause
jts revival at an early date. The or
cans OF these two parties. despite the
good impression made by the counts
procedure in consulting with the
Reichstag leaders before making his
decision, frankly oppose his elevation
to the Chancellorship because Of his
adverse attitude toward parlamen-
tarianism. his affiliations with the Con-
servative wing of the Clerical party
and the fear that his selection may be
a trick to split the present majority
DIOCk anu 1OIU a tttcH
block. with the Conservatives and Cler-
icals as the leading elements. The pro-
posal to retain DR.. Michaelis as Prus-
sian Premier serves TO confirm them in
this suspicion.
Conservatives Holding Back
The Conservatives themselves take a
most reserved attitude toward the can
didacy of a man whose views on their
annexatonist foreign policy are more
than suspected, who is considered by
them the reprehensible agent and rep
resentative in Germany of the far more
reprehensible Count Czernin. the Aus
ro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, and
who would be totally unacceptable to
them as Prussian Premier, intrusted
with the duty of reforming Prussisn
legislative institutions, should 1t ulti-
mately be determined to appoint him
to the double Office.
The new Chsneei,or's name has been
anathema to the panGermans OF the
Count on Reventlow stripe, owing TO
the belief that he is not their man
as far as the annexation programme is
concerned. Won Hertling and Foreign
Minister von Kuehlmann have been
coupled in the pan-German abuse. but
Won Hertling's conservative orthoooXy
concerning parliamentary. reform may
be sufficient to overcome this prejudlce.
Nnch will depend on his attitude on
rovokica rpforfn rnncprnlnR
which he has been silent on the ground
that this is Pfussia's own affair.
The possibility is to be consideTea
that Count Won Hertling is Intended
only as a Chancellor for an uncertain
interval and that hidden powers behind
the scenes have desired TO use hiIr : nd
DIR Michaelis to keep the place warm
for the candidate whom Professor Ru-
dolf Valentini, chief of the Emperors
civil cabinet, had intimated the En-
peror was keeping in reserve tor the
peace negotiations.
Nay Be Temporary Bridge
Count Won Hertlings age and the un-
natural and therefore probably tenn
norsfy division of the Office of Chan-
cellor and Prime Minister, such as IS
proposed. suggest the possibility that
the seventh Chaneellorship is in'ehdeo
10 last only until the threshold OF the
peace negotiations has been Ieacned.
The fact that Count Won HertilnS
first conference after receiving the
Emperor's offer was with Count Won
Westarp. the Conservative leader has
attracted comment. IL is mentioned IN
Connection with his Clerical -Conservs-
tive antecedents, his record IN the
Reichstag and his attitude regarding
parliamentar' SIN and Alsace- Lorraine
as showing that he can scarcely forget
the past sufficiently to be progre ressiVe
head of a moderniZed German adTinis-
tration.
The Berlin newspapers agree in stat
ing that Count Won Hertling was ten
dered only the post of Imperial Chan
cellor and not that Of Prussian Premier.
Arcording 70 a we'll defined report il
/. purposed to retain DR.. Michaells IN
The latter post to supervise the fste of
the Prussian franchise reform meas
ures and TO diminish, as FAR as pos
sjbIe, the loss Of prestige caused him
bv his short tenure Of office Ia me
Chancellorship. 40,
The Socialist newspaper "Vorwaerts"
,avs IL understands that the Prussia1
franchise measures have now been
drafted and will be ready for submis-
sion to the Diet as soon as they receive
the royal signature. IL reports tnGm
as consisting Of three separate BUS,
covering the change in the franchise
reouirements for the lower chamber,
the reform OF the House Of Lords and
the extension of the budget rights OF
the lower house.
The franchise contemplated is bssod
unon equal suffrage. but with extended
residence qualifications, the newspaper
explains. . o.. 49,. g
the objections raised by the advccates
OF the reform, who have been express,
ing fears that only pretence OF equal
suffrage would be proposed and that
scheme for delaying action for year
or more WIS contemplated.
n6 II CboncoIIorshin