Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-08-02
The German Crisis.

The German Crisis.
In studying the German crisis il is well
TO keep in mind their internal as well as
their international situation. We are apt
TO lay too much stress upon what ap-
pears TO be recognition by the German
people OF the hopelessness of their side
in the present The German govern
ment is an empire, composed of many
kingdoms, duchies and principalites.
Each OF the latter is monarchy with
some participation by the people in their
government The principal OF these
monarchies is Prussia, OF which Wilhelm
II the Kaiser is King. Wilhelm is,
therefore, King OF Prussia and Kaiser or
Emperor OF Germany. Germany's legis-
latlve bodies are the Reichstag, composed
OF elected members, like our House OF
Representatives, and the Bundesrath,
comparing TO our Senate, except that the
members Of the BundeSrath are appoint
ed by the crowned heads of the various
countries composing the empire AS the
Bundesrath can veto any act, 1t is quite
apparent that the thrones of the empire
can prevent any reform. Butthe supreme
power OF Prussia appears from the fact
that her kingdom appoints 20 OF the mem-
bers of the Bundesrath, and no bill max
ing fundamental changes can be passed
if IA or more members oppose it.
Therefore, King Wilhelm of Prussia, the
Kaiser, can, with his 20 appointees,
defeat any reform in the franchise.
The agitation for franchise reform is
the outgrowth of system OF voting
which is unique. The voters are divio ed
into three classes. The first class are
those big taxpayers, paying the first
third OF the taxes-that is, the largest
taxpayers are selected, till those paying
one-thlrd OF the whole tax for that dis
trict shall be embraced, and these repre-
sent one-thrd OF the voting power OF
the district. The taxpayer next in
amount, paying the next third OF the
taxes, have one-third ofthe voting power.
All the rest OF the people have the remain
ing third Of the voting power. II is an
arbitrary property qualification, giving
the very wealthy immense power; the
weIl-to-do less, but still vast advantages
over the masses. The miliionaireS and
the well-to-do' can control any district
In one district in Prussia, sausage maker
represents the first third and he polls
one-third OF the vote. AT one election,
the party polling a majority OF the votes
elected only seven members out OF 10.
II is against this franchise system for
electing members Of the ReichStag that
this agitation is aimed and it seems that
the Kaiser has yielded. However, the
supreme power of the royalty appointed
Bundesrath will still stand in the way OF
reform. This crisis may be the first note
OF revolution. The American stand for
democracy, voiced by President Wilson,
may have been like the writings OF
Rousseau in France, in 1880, read in
enough German homes TO quicken hope
into affirmative action. On the other
hand, the German government may have
yielded, at the opportune moment, 10 the
franchise agitation, which has been aimed
at a system as defenseless TO reason as 1t
is hateful to a democracy. The people
may be ready to accept the hali-loaf, in
which event the crisis may pass without
materially weakening the war-power OF
Germany. To be sure, people agitating
for equality of franchise will not indet-
initely submit TO king appointed upper
house ofparlament; andthe United States
has no calculation about this war which
involves theindefinite or the long-drawn-
out.
Our war activities will not abate by
reason of the German news. Germany
may be reforming internally, but 1t has a
long way TO go before ii reaches anything
approximating democracy.
It is probable that the power OF the
iunkers will prevent any peace that the
Allies could afford TO accept; and this
country, secure in the confidence OF the
people and certain OF the righteousness
OF the cause which compelled il TO draw
the sword, must not be lulled to indiffer-
ence by the reports from Germany. We
must proceed TO get ready TO win il it be
necessary. We can consider Germany's
new situation when il comes 10 US Of
ficiallY .-Exchdnge.