The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-08-06
PRUSSIAN BALLOT
WILL Be PuRGE|:D,
DECLARES HALE
Correspondent at Berlin, For.
mer Richmond M a n,
Writes of Crisis.

Editorial Note - William Bayard
Hale Is former Richmond man. His
brother, Alton Hale, still lives here. ]
oy WILLIAM eAYARD HALE
Correspondent at Berlin who return
ed to the United States last weekly
] wonder how accurately the recent
political crisis in Germany-a crisis
not yet past-has been reported in the
United States.
Il was provoked by the demand OF
Erzberger, leader of the Centrum
(the Catholic) party, In the Reich
stag. July s. that the government re-
affirm in definite terms the declara-
tion of August 4, 1914, that Germany
was fighting q defensive war. s'
Bethmann-Hollweg had never been
able to frame his lips to pronounce
the clear word, mo annexations, no
indemnities." The Centrums. the Ma
tional Liberals and the Socialists are
practically a unit behind the demands
Of Erxberger ~ +s2sv'@ '-~ e#8'fF~
&ys's Blow for Military
There followed anxious days OF
hasty and excited conferences to save
the situation without exposing to the
Entente allies any evidence Of inter
nal friction ~ e'a~e aS
For the first time since the begin
ming OF the war the military author
ity, the fredericksburg incarnate
in the persons Of Hindenburg and Lu.
dendorf, looked up from their charts
and were amazed by the face of a
determined people H@. f-@1 ta q
At the Crown Conferences which
marked the crisis, the Crown Prince
appeared. In virtue OF the fact that
the decisions to be reached affected
his interests as prospective King of
Prussia and German Emperor. FL
G'"r' Prince Was Liberal
learn from a high source that the
Princes voice was for the liberaliza.
ton of the Prussian Constitution, and
general advance on modern and
popular lines 7% %t. 1es$ tA
For three days a series of confer.
Ministry OF the Interior They were
attended by the retiring Chancellor,
by his prospective successor. Mich
aelis. by Field Marshal Hindenburg
and Quartermaster-General Ludendorf
and by the representatives Of all par.
ties Of the Reichstag. 1t was at these
conferences that an understanding
was arrived at. - @s' 's+ 'fs'--+
The demand Of the German people
became vocal In three clearly pro-
nounced particulars
Clearing Prussan Suffrage
I. The rectiHcation Of the Prus-
sian suffrage. ' .".'
2. The establishment of a truly par
liamentary imperial government.
3. The enunciation Of the war aims
of the German nation as purely de-
fensive. ~ '
The Kaiser's signed rescript direct
ing the reorganization of the Prus-
sian electoral system on the basis of
direct and secret ballot" was i'm
mediately issued. "
The Reichstag was still unsatisfied.
The Reichstag is the House of Rep.
resentatives of the empire. but it took
up the cause of one OF the German
States.
The action which the Reichstag
took was simple. 1t merely declined
to grant the additional war credit
which the Government of the Empire
asked. 70 speak a little more accur.
ately. it refrained from granting them,
and postponed debate on the budget.
e Reichstag's First Step.
That is to say, Germany's Parlia.
ment had now learned what other par
liaments had learned long ago !;
learned the principle which is the foun.
dation OF all popular governments