The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-05
Influential Men Sign Manifesto
Promoted by Radicals.
&c Will Go Before Reiehstag,
Which RecOnvenes Today.
WHAT WILL CHANCELLOR SAY
Expect Him To Make Reply to
Premier Lloyd George.
Tense Awaiting Report
of Constitution Committee.

Berlin. via London, July 5.-Coin-
cfdent with the reconvening Of the
reichstag today, score of the So
called German intellectuals united in
az formaI demand on the government
fer Immediate parliamentary and
electoral reforms, including equal, di-
rect and secret suffrage. What made
the manifesto of particular signif1-
canoe in .he view of reformers here,
WIS that among the signers were
such men as Delbrueck, Won Harnaeck,
RmiI Fischer. Troeltsch and others OF
tie purely intellectually type, who
have heretofore opposed the democrat
ixatfon plans announced by the rad1-
Gals.
Great Interest in Meeting.
+ Amsterdam, July 5.-Greatest in
terest is conferred in the scheduled
meeting of the German reichstag to-
day turnout Germany. First Berhn
dispatches today reported That I'M
t,prfaI Chancellor Won Bethmann-H Holt
veg might seize the occasion to make
formal reply to British Premier
Iloyd Georges recent Glasgow speech
simplifying on the British war aims
and asserting that there can De no
peace without a victory.
T OF scarcely less interest thruout the
country was the report of the const1-
ttition expected to be submitted at the
opening session of the German parlia-
1hentary body and the action to be
taken on it.
Back in May the constitution COM
rnittee, headed by the majority So
dialist Phil, Scheidmann, made sew
eraI recomihe ndations for changes IN
Germany's governmental system. It's
work at that time was hailed as I'M
mediate accomplishment of the kals-
er's commands to Bethmann-H cilweg,
urging a REIMBURSEMENT of certain me
Qualities in the government. Shortly
afterNard. however. q certain class OF
German radical Socialists of the Lede-
hour. Haase and Liebknecht type dis
covered that the reforms suggested
BY the committee were mere shams-
Kaiser Alone Has Power.
I The committee recommended that
The imperial chancellor be made re-
sponsible to the reichstag in his &C
don. The move was hailed thruout
Germany as a great reform step But
the committee promptly vit1ated TINS
by formally voting that the relchStae
Had no power to remove the chancel-
lor for any act of his. Power of ap-
Sentiment of the chancellor and of his
dismissal was retained. as always
With the kaiser
: The committee, however, did rec
ommend a complete redistricting and
reapportionment plan for representa-
ton in the reichstag. Exactly how
this is to be achieved is to be decided
at meetings of the committee which
ars to be held this month.
Present Plan Devised in 1871.
Germany's present system of repre-
sentation in the reichstag is that
which was devised in 1871. 1t does
not permit of minority representation
The constitution committee has an
bounced it will change this scheme or
the basis of equal suffrage of all men
! The German state Uf Prussia holds
the balance of power in Germany anC
neither the reichstag nor the consti-
filtion committee can make reforms
there 6,ithout action by the Prussiar
reiehstag.
Todays meeting of the reichstaG
was for a scheduled session of tive
weeks. This original plan was for 6
Sitting of only three or four days, bu
1t was believed that this would be pro
longed.