Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-14
IND EV VACUATION
kOW 10 PRUSSIANS
IN Believe Wilson In.
oIodos German Part Of An
cient Kingdom in Demands
SDocjur Gable to Evening Public Ledger
IS cse1v4sAs. fsfs, bp Ne,o York Times Co.

Spocjar Gable to Evening Public Ledger
5. csctr4sxf. 1918, bp Nec York Times Go.
'..| Paris, Oct. IA
The Congress OF German sovereigns
sofhmoned to meet in Berlin Saturday
{ y an Assembly such as has not been
saen since the proclamation of the con-
fedorAtion of the German empire at
Versailles in 1870. 1t includes every
reisning boche. from princelets like those
Of Lippe and schwartzbourg. who bear
sovereign sway over Kingdoms the size
Of handkerchief. up to the King OF
bavaria, whose sovereigns have always
maintained their own diplomatic repre-
sentatives In foreign capitals.
Apart from Belgium, which may be
taken as unanimously agreed upon, the
questions Of the evacuation which are OF
the greatest Importance are those con-
cerning Poland and Alsace-Lorraine,
Pres,dent wilson's statement Of Janu-
arv 4 In regard to the latter is looked
upon here as opening the door to a good
deal OF real or pretended misunderstand-
ing on the part of the boche b yreason
Of its lack OF preciseness.
on this question, therefore, Germany
will have no trouble In finding an ex-
cuse to prolong the discussion IL Mr.
Wilson allows such device to succeed
Al to Poland Mr.. Wilson has left
no possible room for doubt. The most
interesting factor is the question Of evac-
IL. 4 k.rxx oh 10
only Russian and Austrian Poland but
also Prussian Poland. This is mat
ter OF prime interest to Prussia above
all other States in the confederation
for II involves the dismemberment of
Prussia itself. The other States would
lose nothing except from the imperial
point of view by the surrender Of Prus-
ian Poland. but the loss to Prussia would
be a fearful blow not only materially
but also to her insufferable arrogance
and ambition. Poland is perhaps the
hard nut Wilson has given the Prussian
autocracy to crack
wilson's last question was obviously
meant to extract from Germany not
only promises but something definite,
as to the form her Government must
take before the Allies will agree to
recognize her except as a victim of
tnelT dNtnEinB SWOIu -NOW, III MS
speech of last Saturday. Max vaguely
foreshadowed two constitutional reforms.
One was the abolition of Article TX of
the Constitution of 1871. which prohibits
the members of the Reichstag from re-
tanning their seats In the popularity
elected chamber IL they become minis
ters. The other was the extension to
several others Of the responsibility un-
der which the Chancellor alone Is at
present legally bound. These two re-
forms were imperative before anything
in the way OF q real democratic Govern
neht was possible in Germany. To bring
etftution as Is necessary to draw Ger
many into line with Wilson's ideas OF
dcmocratic government must necessarily
take time.
Whether Wilson will suggest means
by which Germany may get over this
obstacle remains to be seen. As this
stands today feasible method by which
Germany may be endowed in the very
near future with any real form of demo.
Z cratic Government would seem to b,
the drawing up by the Allies Of
2 brand-new constitution followed by
general election throughout the German
empire under the safeguard afforded
by the presence of an Allied army OF
occupation. This is n solution which
many Independent thinkers here are
beginning TO regard with a good deal
Of favor, although 1t can't be said to
have received any kind of even SEMI
offlcial recognition.