The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-01
"MY -FOUR YEARS
IN GERMANY
CONTINUED Prom First Pnse.)

answer questions Gas In F,ngland) put
them by the members Of the Reichstas.
But there the likeness to a parliament
Any government begins and ends.
The members Of the Bundcsrot are
named by the princes OF the twenty
i've states making up the German em-
plre. Prussia which has seventeen
votes. may name seventeen members or
the Eundesrat. OF me member. who.
however. when he votes casts seventeen
votes. The votes Of state must al
ways, be cast aS a unit. IN the usual
procedure. bills are prepared and adopt
ed in the Bundesrat and then sent to
tho Relchstag: IL passed. they then re-
turn to the. Bundcsrat where the final
approval must take place. Therefore.
in practice. tho Bundesra' makes the
laws with the assent Of the Reichstag.
The members Of the BundeSrat have the
right to appear and MAKE speeches In
tho Reichstag.
The fundamental constitution Of the
German Empire Is not changed. as with
us, by separate body. but is changed
In the same way that AN ordinary law
Is passed: eNcepc that ii there are four
teen votes against Tie proposed change
in the Bundesrac the proposition IS de-
feated. and further. the Constitution
cannot be changed with respect TO rights
expressly granted by II to any one OF
the twenty-five states without the as
sent OF the stats.
In order to pass law a majority
vote in the Bundcsrat and Reichstas
is sufficient If there IS quorum pres
ent. and a quorum Is majority OF the
members elected In tho ReichstaH. ana
IN the Bundesrat the quorum consists
Of such members % are present at a
regularly called meeting. providing the
chancellor or the vice chancellor at
tends.
Raiohstas Does Not Present German
People.
Tho boundaries of the districts SEND
ing members to the Reichstag have not
been changed since 1872. while in the
rnentime, a great shifting Of population
as we'll as great increase OF population
has taken place. And because Of this
the Reichstag today does not represent
the people Of Germany in the sense IN
tended BY the trainers Of the imperial
constitution.
Much CT the legislation that affects
the everyday life Of a German emanatcS
from the parliaments Of Prussia. IA
varia and Saxony. etc. as with US in oul
state legislatures. The purely leglS-
lative power OF the ministers and Bun
desrat Is. however. large. These Ger
man states have constitutions oil some
sort. The GranI Duchies OF Meckien-
hure have no constitution whatever. II
is understood that the people them
selves do not want one. on financial
grounds fearing that many expenses
now borne by tho Grand Duk" out OF
his large. private. income would be sad
died on lhe people.
The other states have constitutions
varying in form. In Prussia there IS Il
house of lords and house OF deputies.
The members Of the late" are Hlecte''
b. system OF circle votes. ny WINCH
the vote Of one rich man voting IN cir
Gle number on. counts as Mtcn as
thousands voting in circle number three.
II is the recognition by Il thuann-Hol' u
veg that this vicious system must ne
changed which brought down on him
the wrath OF the pruSsian country
soutres. who for so long have ruled IN"
German empire. filling PLACES civil ana
military with their children and rela-
tireS.
The German Military influence.
In considering Gerr,auy. III" Immense
Influence of ,hr military party must
not be left out of account. and WIN
the development: of the navy. tn''
branch of the service ais" claimed
share in guiding The policy OF the gov
crcment.
The adninist rative. executive ana
judicial officers Of Prussia are not
eIac,cd The country is governed ana
judged by men who enter TINS branch
Of the government service exactly as
others the army or navy. These are
gradually promoted through the various
grades This applies {" judges. clerks
Of courts district attorneys ana IN" on
Gals who govern IN" poIltlcai divisions
OF Prussia. for Prussia is divided into
circles presidencies and provinces. For
instance. young man may enter t'e
government service as assistant to the
clerk OF some court. he may thcn oe-
come district attorney in small town.
then clerk Of q larger court. possibly al
+orhrI =. he police presidency or
large city: !Ic may then become n minor
Judge, cSr. until finally h. becomes q
fudge of on" OF the higher courts or an
over president ut a province. Virtually
the only clcctiv.. officers who nave any
mower are members OF the RcichstaS ana
the PruSsian Legislature. and there as
have shown thc power Is very small.
MAYORS and city councillors are elected
in Prussia but havr little power ana are
elected by the vicious system or circle
voting.
Time and again during the course OF
the great war. when made some COM
plant or request affecting the interests
OF one OF the various nations | repre-
sneted. l was met in the Foreign nflc"
by the statement: We can Il" rotnlns
with the military. Please read Bis
marck.s memoirs and you will So" what
difficulty he had with the military.
undoubtedly. owing TO the fact that
the Chancellor seldom took strong
ground. the influence which both the
army and navy claimed In debating the
policy Of the empire was greatly IN
creased.
Roughly speaking there are three
great political divisions or parties in
the German Ec!chstag. To tho right OF
the presiding officer sit the tnnserra-
tivcS. Most ot these are members from
the prussan Jurker or squire class.