The Washington times., 1917-09-30

Tor. education, justice and foreign af'
fairs, are but underlings Of the chan
cellor and appointed by him. The
chancellor is not responsible to the
Reichstag, as Bethmann-Hollweg
clearly stated at the time OF the Ia
bern affair, but only to the Emperor
1t Is true that an innovation prop
erly belonging only to parliamen.
tary government was introduced
some seven years ago, viz. that the
ministers must answer questions (aI
in England) put them by the mem
bers OF the Reichstag, But there the
likeness to a parliamentary govern
ment begins and ends.
The members Of the Bundesrat are
named by the princes OF the twenty
fve states making up the German
Empire. Prussia, which has seven
teen votes, may name seventeen mem
bers OF the Bunaesrat. or one mem
Der, who, however, when he votes
casts seventeen votes. The votes of
a state must always be cast as a
unit. In the usual procedure, bills
are prepared and adopted in the
Bundesrat and then sent to the Reich
stag; II passed, they then return to
the Bundesrat, where the final ap-
proval must take place. Therefore.
in practice, the Bundesrat makes the
laws with the assent of the Reich
stag. The members OF the Bundles
rat have the right to appear and
make speeches In the Reichstag.
Like Ordinary Law.
The fundamental constitution OF
the German empire Is pot changed.
as with US, by a separate body. but
L. ,bo,rad - tha ..r,a ,.,.,, 49, -,
ordinary law Is passed. except that
IL there are fourteen votes against
the proposed change In the Bundesrat
the proposition is defeated, and fur
ther, the constitution cannot be
changed with respect to rights ex-
pressly granted by Il to any one OF
the twenty-five states without the
assent OF the stAte.
In order to pass q law a majority
vote in the Bundesrat and Reichstag
is sufficient II there is q quorum
present, and a quorum is a majority
OF the members elected In the Reich
stag, and in the Bundesrat the quo
rum consists Of such members as
are present at a regularly called
meeting, providing the chancellor or
the vice chancellor attends.
The boundaries of the districts
sending members to the Reichstag
have not been changed since 1872.
while, in the meantime, a great shift
ing OF population as well as great in
crease OF population has taken place.
And because OF this the Reichstag
today does not represent the people OF
Germany in the sense intended by the
trainers OF the imperial constitution.
Much of the legislation that Affects
aVArVdaU lifa NJ GAFDan
mates from the. .parllaments of Prus-
sia, Bavaria, and Saxony, etc. as with
us in our State legislatures. The
purely legislative power OF the min
listers and Bundesrat is, however.
large. These German states have
constitutions of some sort. The grand
duchies OF Mecklenburg have no con-
stitution whatever. II Is understood
that the people themselves do not
want one, on financial grounds, fear
Ing that many expenses now borne by
the grand duke out of his large pri-
vate income would be. saddled on the
people.
The other states have constitutions
varying in form. In Prussia there is
4 house of lords and a house OF depu-
ties. The members of the latter are
slected by a system OF circle votes, by
ng in circle No. l counts as much as
thousands voting in circle No. 8. II
Is the recognition by -Holl- |
veg that this vicious system must be
which brought down on him
he wrath of the Prussian country
'quires. who for so long have ruled !
he German empire, filling places civil |
md military with their children and |
'elatives.
The German Military Influence.
In considering Germany. the i'm
nense influence of the military party |
must not be left out of account, and, !
With the development OF the navy. !
hat branch of the service also claim !
ID a share in guiding the policy OF
he government
The administrative, executive, and |
judicial officers of Prussia are not |
elected. The country is governed and |
judged by men who enter this branch |
II the government service exactly as
,thers the army or navy. These are |
gradually promoted through the vari- |
,us grades. This applies to Judges, /
clerks of courts-O district attorneys, |
md the officials who govern the po-
itical divisions OF Prussia, for Prus-
'ia is divided into circles. presidencies
and provinces. For instance. a young
nan may enter the government serv-
ce as assistant to the clerk of some
,ourt He may then become district
attorney In a small town, then clerk
of a larger court, possibly attached |
70 the police presidency Of a large
city; he may then become q minor