New-York tribune., 1918-02-17
Elections Show
Germans Tired
OfKaiser' S War
Every Contest Since Last
Summer Protest Against
Policy of EIindenburg and
Militarists
By Gustav Miller

Every contested election which was
held in Germany since the summer of
1917 resulted in a plea for peace and
protest against the war in gem
eral and the Hindenburg- Ludendorff
policy of conquest in particular. The
voters of Leipsic and Bautzen- Kamenz
were the last to manifest their senti-
mcnts in unequivocal fashion.
AT the municipal election of Leipsic
the so-called minority Social Demo-
Gratis had clear majority of all votes
cast, and carried the Board of Alder
men, although they were opposed not
only by the Conservatives and Lib
erals, but also by the "Kaiser" Social
lists of the Scheidcmann-D David type.
And heretofore the Social Democrats.
followers Of Schedemann and Haase
together, were n minority party in the
City Hall of Lcipsic.
Still more significant is the result
OF the by-election held on January %
IN the Saxonan Reichstag district
OF BautzenKamenz. This district WAS
regarded as an "unconquerable castle
OF patriotism and conservatism. ="
Even at the general elections of 1908.
when SaXony, inccnsed at the conduct
of King Friedrich August elected
twenty-five Social Democrats out Of n
total OF twenty three Reichstag Depu-
ties Bautzen nKamenz returned the
arch reactionary Gracfe to the Ma
tlonal Parliament
AT the last general election, 1912.
mere mere were cast 1854 votes for
n, nEraele, l'4i2 votes for the Social
democrat and 1889 votes for the Pro-
gressive candidate. AT the second bal
lot, which had to be taken, according
10 the German election law, Graefe
was reelected. He received ~ 43O
votes and his Social Democratic on
ponent 1902, although the Progress
s, slve executive committee had asked
.he'r lollowers to cast their votes for
Vhe Socialist at the second ballot.
urae1c represented the Reformpartei.
d conservative party with an open]v
antl- n semitic plank. When he died. in
oceoper last, the Rcformpartei first in
.cnueu 70 nominate glazcr, Wetzel,
man OF m the Graefc type; then Ad-
,nlrai Won Ilrpltz, father Of the ruth
less U-boat war; then an industriaI
magnate, Busch; but finally nominatad
a lawyer, DR.. Hermann, a moderate
conservative, who was assured of Tho
active support of the Progrcssivcs. and.
lhdorsed by Ebert chief lieutenant of
ocheldemann, who adhered to the marty
truce, according to which the candi-
oa'e or the party, who had represented
the district up to the by-election. was
not TO be opposed by any other partv
during the war. parry
But the opposition to the war. and
especially to the governments aims of
conquest had grown to such pronor-
tions that the so-caled minority So
clal-Democrats decided to nominatc
ohllg, candidate OF the Haase tvne
And Scheidemann had learned his les.
son from the municipal election at
Leipslc. He did not dare open]v to
oppose uhlig, and succeeded in hayin,,
him nominated as the official Social,
Democratic candidate. But Uhlipr re-
celved little support, if any, from the
Kaiser" Socialists. He nevertheless
was elected, with 1861. to S,763 votes
which were cast for his Conservativn
opponent, DR.. Hermann.
The Berlin 'Vorwarts" is RIGHT in
Jubilantly saying that the result Of tho
election in the district of Bautzen-
kamenz is a victory for peace NV A.
rahgement, but the paper is in no wise
Justined IN It's statement that the re-
suit OF the election shows victory must
come to the Socialist majority's pol
'c'es. For Uhlig was nominated in
spite Of the original protests bv
ocheldemann's man. Ebert.