Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-26
.RE|CHsTAG REGISTERS
WILL OF HUN RULERS
Supposed Representatives OF German
People Are Without Actual
Power.
FORMER MEMBERS EXPOSE
Methods Used to Whip Into Line Any
Who May Prove Rccalcitrant.
People Elect Program Rather Than
Man.
ny II. y. Ctr,IINGS.

LONDON. September o5.-The fact Of
a people exceiling in Knowledge of a
scientific and commercial mature get
content TO live In state governed by
an autocracy. TO obey laws dictated by
mos" IN no degree their representa-
lives to take and adopt as their own
opinions and beliefs duly stamped with
the Will OF the powerful few. is a mys-
terry battling to the student of the psy-
cho!ogy OF nations.
Perhaps the people OF America and
England have been particularly slow
ia realizing this dependence Of the Ger
man masses on their leaders The
method OF government In these two
countries. Imperfect and far from the
local though IL may be. can claim to
spring from a dcs - FOR the common
good. and because every state official
beaten into submission or bring ing be-
fore supreme authority. we have
chung with an almost pathetic tenacity
TO a faith sincere IL ungroUndcd, in
the ReichStag az saving element
against Prussianism
Co,n'nohsensc or an Unborn instinct
ioi Democratic government made tho
conception OF Il inode rn state run on the
lines Of medieval dcspotisn appear
TO M absurd. and in addition to this.
at least in the United States before itS
entrance into the war. wc had tho Cor
man propaganda describing the Reich
stag to any one who would listen as IL
perfect model Of democracy.
REICHSTAG ALWAYS PROVES
PLANT IN ktISER'S HANDS
With our minds clothed with this iic-
ton. we have been inclined to regard
Socialism much stronger force in
tho Fatherland than ii has proved. In
our moments of depression. we took
refuge in prophecies of revolution
TO throw of the yoke of their oppres
sors and the apparent pliahility OF the
Rcichstag turn to tho hardness OF "a
resistance that wruid wreck Kaiser
I II. 4. Lea, ts.t- ca 4
newspapers have written of crises in
tho Reichs;ag. wherein signs were
Lotcd ana recognized as seeds o! re
volt, but quite falsely ns events In
prove. The truth is that the emotion
OF the Reichs;ag has never bean strong
enough 10 produce more than an anti
climax in it's affairs which. instead OF
clearing the course for progress. has
only made ii Impossible % do anything
but continue M before; and whether
! the members OF this so-called demo
cratic assembly were indignant over
Cnfuliilled promises respecting the L
boat campaign or the forced resiSna-
ton of Kuhlmann,, 1T only needed
| conference of it's leaders with the
Chancellor to recognize the omnis-
| ccncc OF the latter.
/ The Able Wetierlc. the well known
! Alsatiau deputy who when Germany
declared war, stood iir!n Tor France, has
given a vivid picture OF German MN
tarism as expressed in its dealings win
book Of his "reminiscences entitled BE
hind the scenes in the RciGhstaS
is 4 HOGSF; ENTIRELY
WITHOUT AUTHORITY
! According TO him, it is Il house with
| out any authority at all mas III
| power over the government and on!
! as much over legislation as the gov
/ eminent likes to give ii. The diScip
| line regulating the election Oh member:
! and the organization OF the whole con
! corn is pervaded. as all statccraft II
| Germany, by the military spirit.
4 program is drawn up by Il ccntra
! committee Tin league OF course VIII
| the high author!ties) which In turf
F, places II In tho hands of n district com
/ mittcc. The Rcichsiag member rep
! rcsenting that district is pledged Il
| support that program, and the voters
! themselves in clecting him elect less
Il man than "A program which owes its
! origin 10 tho Will Of an autocracy. Al
! assertion OF individuality on the part
| Of the man elected would Inevitably
| mean tho loss OF has parliamentary
| scat. risk seldom considered worth
| tho tabing.
! AS it is the peoples house. the Reich
! stag Is supposed 20 have control over
| finance, but as il matter of fact. the
! majority Of its members in most Years
would not have been able to make amy.
| thing OF the budget il they had sc
! wanted.
Muller-Eulda. n member OF The gov
eminent. saw no shame In explaining
10 the able, who was fresh 10 the