The Washington herald., 1918-02-28
Defends Prussian Franchise
Reform Bill and Urges
Support for Army.
CONSERVATIVES TAKE
ISSUE WITH SPEECH
GermanViceCh Chancellor Fre-
quently Interrupted Dur
ing Course of Address.

London. Feb. 27.-Frequen: scenes
Of tumult. seriously interfering with
delivery OF his speech, and tremen-
dous outbursts OF passion on the
part OF the conservatives in the
German Reichstsg greeted Vice
Chancellor Friedrich Won Payer.
when he scored them for their op-
position 10 the Prussiau Franchi-e
bill.
The vice chancellor charged TIE
conservatives were trl in= to cruah
the cry for political power and in
fIuence on the government that -
being made by the German pcopIo
through defeat OF the Prussia
Franchise bill.
Won Payer put thcs" poIiticsI
groups on the same level with
traitors like Liebknecht and Dit
mann (social leaders Imprisoned on
charges Of melting trcasOnD." il IS
said and retaliation by the coneer-
vatives is expected by many.
speech OfendS.
Il can not believe that those par
tics in whose hands the derIsian
lies" the vice chancellor said, all
: luding 10 the Franchise bill. will
| fail to realize what they owe to the
I public in this critical hour. and 1
hope they will emphaticslly repu-
date the suspicion that they really
aim at an intolerable delay"
/ Conservatives of the RCiChstaE
/ were seriously offended at the speech
| of the vice chancellor. 4 Bertih
dispatch to the koeInischc NoIks-
1 zeitung said regarding Il.
Comment OPposes.
1T was known that Won Payer de-
sired TO settle accounts sAsitk.-=lsa
' CONSERVATIVES. and he did 50 peI-
1 haps more than it vas good for Ei-u.
TO do. 4 Passionate outbreak ac-
companied this part OF his speech
, from the Conservative sections of
the Reichstag. That yon Payer
I should have put these political groups
on the same level with traitors like
LiebkneCht and Ditmann Socialist
leaders imprisoned on charges OF a.
citing treasonD. and with those vino
fomented the traitUrous strike. pro
vOked tremendous outbreaks OF pas.
frequent scenes OF tumulI SERIOUS g.,
speech. and at its close his friend
were fain TO drown the hisses in the
House and in the galleries by clap
ping and shouting"
Only One Standpoint.
There is only one standpoint.
the vice chancellor said. for hons
politics today. in the fourth year oi
the war. namely. the concentration
Of all the forces Of the empire q
the unity OF the citizens and labor
in readiness for sacrifice To en0bl,
the army TO fulfil their heavy task
To that end things which stHl d..
NIGe the various classes OF the pop.
Ulation must be removed. II is quit,
Ineligible that the heavier the sac,
rifice and war burdens laid upon u,
the greater will the mass Of thi
population be dominated by CspII a.
tions after political power, political
freedom and influence on the gov.
ernment No power on earth c. q
crush this idea and these aspiri.,
tions. From the start the allies
German governments have taken
this into account, and it is their de,
sire to continue along this path"
Cost OF War.
Count Won ROedeIn. the imperiu
secretary OF the treasury. in tn.
budget debate in the Rcichs;aE
said that the additional requirement
OF $500 900 marks over 1917 Wa,
due mainly TO the Increase in e..
interest on war loans. lie declare,
that no funds for W.T. costs wcI,
asked in the present budget
Dealing with the principal items IN
the budget. Count Won RoedorH SAID
that the yield from war profits ta-.
with an additional levy. would exceed
$500, 10000 marks. and that the coa
tax produced 100000 a month. ~,
added:
We hope. i'm consequence o. IN,
votes OF recent years, TO emerge irOu
the war without uncovered Gefc.i :
Fresh taxation proposals viii be sub
mitted 10 the Reichstag by Enstor
Whether they will represent the frs
step in extensive financial LEGISLATION
necessitated by the war, or whe;hc,
there might again be temporary leg
islation for the duration Of the war
is still uncertain. But. in any case
our enemies on the West front wouI,
not be left in doubt regarding our WI
and power TO stand a final battle OF
this front. too. Deposits in Germai
credit banks again have increased dur
ing the past year by several billions