Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-14

government has decided TO refuse
To parltamentarixe the Cabinet. and
the difficulties in connection with
the adoption of n peace resolution.
J AMSTERDAM. July lS-The fine
hand OF Austria was seen in the German
Crisis to-day. Its index finger pointed
( TO Chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollwe 3
as the man of the hour" 4 voice
I from Vienna. anonymous but unmis,ak-
ably Official. sounded warning that if
Ho!lwes be dropped. disaster would
/ follow
Promptly AL Europe was thrown into
q state OF puzzled speculation. For
here was the queerest political paradox
of the whole war. Only week ago
the world was told that DR. Matthia s
Erzhcrser. the Cemtrist leader. in uu-
!oosins the storm OF revolt in the
Reichsiag, with Hollweg as the chief
OBJECT OF his bitter attacks, was in
spired hy' the counsel of the Austrian
Emperor. whom he had Just visited
! The report went unchallenEed until
yesterday. BY that time the tide had
turned. And to-day word comes from,
Berlin tina, ErsberGer himself has
changed front tina, the Centrists are
satisfied TO have Hollweg continue as
Chancellor under certain conditions. -
but want hin, discarded before the
peace conference begins.
A deep-laid intrigue. sprung some =
where between Vienna and Berlin. sue
cessfully executed i'll the shrewdcs
manner in its minutes, details. is be-
i;eved TO hold the answer to the
puzzle
CHIEF DENEIOpMESTS
DURING DAY IN CRISIS
/ Meanwhile. to-day's news from the
German capital brought these chief
developments in the crisis:
y semiotfcial message said the
Kaiser is about to issue proclamation
tavoring immediate vote reform for
Prussia. and for parliamentary Gov
eminent for Germany.
>. Apparently authoritative reports
had ii that the Emperor would invite
ErzberEer and Philip Scheidema nm
| tmajority Socialist leader) 10 take
ministerial Offices.
B. The three big parties-Centrists
Socia lists and National Liberals-com
pleted their plans for concerted drive
in to-morrow's full Reichstag session
for immediate electoral reform. and a
declaration Of purely defensive war
aims. They command an overwhelming
majority.
4. Failing in this drive. the majority
is determined to drive out the present
ministry 4 coalition government
would be the inevitable result
Between the lines OF the mass Of
< contradictory dispatches from the two
Teutonic capitals one fact is creeping
stcadfastly TO the fore:
That beneath the whole upheaval lies
the singing effect which President
Wilson's arrangement of the German
autocracy has had upon the German
masses. as rejected by their represen-
tatives i'll the Reichstag
To Count Czernitz. the Austrian
Foreign "inister. is attributed the in
spired communication from Vienna in
the Lokal Anzeiger. saving the dis
missal Of the Chancellor would be a
fatal mistake
II was this same Count czernitz who
as the first statesman in the central
empires. adopted President Wilson'S
slogan. Peace without victory" modi-
lying 1t later into Peace without an
nexation and indemnity"
REGARD PRUSsIAN SYSTEM
AS BIG OBSTACLE TO PEACE
II has long been an open secret that
the widest circles in Austria, including
influential personages at the Hapsbure
court--some say including Emperor
Charles--reeard the Prussian system as
the sole obstacle to peace
To this view Vienna mas gradually
swung the Centrist party in Germany
DR.. Erzberger's bombshell was the re.
suit.
TO close students Of the situation 1,
Is therefore apparent that America al.
ready has won the greatest victory o,
the war without being as yet actual,
in the fighting.
Not until to-day did the major mar
oil ErZberger's speech in the Rcichstar
committee star chamber session be
come known here. 1t hears out tn,
lndicat1ons that President Wilson's at
tack on the Prussian military caste I!
the driving power behind his attacks
ne maze u clear In the speech tina
the world must be convinced the Ger
man people are not the slaves OF thi!
i. military caste. To that end. he saws ,
system must be framed dispeiling tn,
last vestige of the belief the German,
, are not free
, That started the ball Of concrc,. r..
" az '''i'"6' nat caused tht
. Kaiser TO issue a proclamation addint
equal franchise TO the reforms he or
dered in his Easter message Prus
sian power is on the wane. The onl,
Z remaining question is just when a par
iiamentary Gerpan government, vii
: rise on the shambles OF Junkerism.
y HANDS OF KAISER TIED
BY REACTIONARY FORCE,
: But it developed to-day that tn
:. hands Of the Kaiser himself are tied I,
a not inconsiderable degree by reac
d tionary forces beyond the border line
: Of Prussia, The Kings and princes o
3 some OF the smaller German states ar
$ fearing for their thrones. From Mu
Il nieh. capital Of Bavaria, for instance
u 'here came wall to-day In the form
OF an article in the scminnicial Rarar