Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02
BLOW AT BAVAR|AN
HOUSE OF LORDS
It Is Threatened With Extinc-
ton, as Well as Prussian
Junkerdom.
STEP IS REVOLUTIONARY
Measure Now Being Drafted to
Be Submitted to Diet
in October.

MUNICH. September 1.-The reform
wave now sweeping over Germany
threatens not only the Prussian junk
erdom. but also The Bavarian House
OF Lords. the most aristocratic body
in the German empire.
According to the Muenchener Ncueste
Nachrichten. the government is pre-
pairing a bill for the reconstruction Of
the ultra -feudalistic first chamber OF
the Parliament along democratic lines.
The measure will be submitted to the
Diet when it reassembles in October.
Tho step planned by the government
under the pressure OF public opinion
Is little short Of revolutionary. So
far all demands for the modernization
of the upper house have been rejected
Indignantly by the crown and the min
istry. In April. 1914. few months
before the outbreak of tho war. the
second chamber Of the Diet passed a
bill which would have done away with
some of the privileges and powers o!
the Lords. but the measure was
promptly vetoed by the government.
The Council of the Empire. as the
upper Bavarian house is called, is even
more a-bulwark OF feudalism and aris
tocratic class privilege than the Prus-
sian House OF Lords. Under the law
OF May IS. 1918, the body consists of
the royal princes. the crown officials,
the Roman Catholic archbishops. the
heads OF the princcly families. the head
Of the Protestant Church and a num-
Der of councillors of state appointed
by the King. The latter either hold
their rank for life or their positions
are hereditary, but under the consti-
tuition all hereditary members must
belong to the landed aristocracy and
pay at least s165 taxes year.
MANY STRONG CLASSES
ARE NOT REPRESENTED
Among the members appointed for
life are few innnciers, captains of
industry and college professors. but
the cities, the universities. commerce
and industry. the farmers and the
working classes have no representa-
ton. The bill prepared by the govern
ment restricts the right OF appointment
by the King and amends the law SO
that one-half of the members of the
Council OF the Empire are to be
elected by universal franchise in a
manner giving representation to all
classes Of the population.
Nearly seventy years ago, after the
revolution of 1S4S, movement was
started to reform this Bavarian upper
house and curb the powers of tie
nobility. Strangely enough, this
movement was led by two of the most
prominent and aristocratic members OF
this feudalistic body. Count Gcich and
Count Seinsheim. Later the far
sighted Prime Minister. Won der
Pfordten. took up the fight. but he
also was unsuccessful.
In 1868 Prince Chlodwig zu Hohen-
lohe, who later became Chancellor Of
the German empire, submitted bill
to the King which proposed to give
the universities five elective represen-
tatives in the upper house. while COM
merce and industry. the cities. the
farmers and the working classes were
to have eight members each. The
measure was turned down by the
ruler. however.
During the last twenty-five years
numerous bills for the reformation Of
the House of Lords have been intro
duced by Liberal and radical members
OF the second ch;r. Der, but the gov
eminent always has seen to 1t that
these revolutionary" measures were
killed promptly. a few were reportd
out of committee and then voted down
by the reactionary majority Of the
Diet, and two that succeeded in get
ting through the chamber were vetoed
by the Lords and the King.
The war, the greatest rcvolutionist,
now promises to bring the reforms
which the struggles of two genera
tons have not been able to accomplish.
The days of feudalism and class rule
are numbered in Bavaria, as every
whore else.