The sun., 1918-12-15
NEW CHARTERIN
GERMANY READY
Executive Would Have Less
Power Than President of
United States.
POPULAR RULE IS SOUGHT
Foreign Office Staff Threat
ems to Quit if Solf Leaves
Ministry.
By the Associated Press.

ny me AsSOCidtfu FFccS
BERLIN, Dec. 14.-The resignation OF
DR.. w. S. Solf. the Foreign Minister
which has not yet been accepted. places
the majority Socialist members OF thC
German Government between tive
dilemmas
Virtually all the trained officials OF
the Foreign Office, it is learned, have
served notice that they will leave IL DR.
Solf goes. Premier Ebert and Herr
Scheidemann are said to be fully awar,
that It Is impossible TO replace these
officials at this time and that their res
ignations would disorganize the for
eign work of the Government.
Herren Haase and Barth. two OF tbs
minority Socialist members OF the
Cabinet, however, insist that DR.. Sol
shall go irrespective OF consequences
Their opinion Is said to reflect the at
titude of the Independent Socialist,
and the Spartacus group.
Cabinet situation Explained.
An official who is closely informed
as to the Internal situation in tn,
Cabinet said to-day'to the correspond
ent:
Ebert and Scheidemann DO no
mean to be ignorant of the wants o
the majority of the people behinC
them, but the Socialists always hav,
opposed government by force, anC
they cling to this doctrine. The!
have refused to employ force as beinl
inconsistent with Socialist theories
Hence they are powerless and I an
afraid they will remain powerless."
The commission appointed to maxi
a preliminary draft of a national con
stitution has completed its delibera
tions and the Department OF the Int
rior shortly will present the proposed
charter to tho German federated
States for approval.
The new constitution. which Is salt
to have been modelled after the Amer
ican and English charters. provide
for an executive who will be more
restricted IN authority than the Presi
dent of the United States. The uppe
chamber. 1t Is proposed, will be mad
up OF delegates from the federate
States. while the lower house will b'
composed OF general and popular rep
resentatives. Referendum is provide,
for and suffrage will be universal, di
rect. equal and secret
Harden as Peace Delegate.
While no names are mentioned il
connection with the appointment o
German peace delegates, 1t is know
that the Government has the subjec
under discussion. The appointment o
Maximilian Harden, editor of Di
ZukunIt, as a special advance delegat
appears TO he much in favor. Tn
EDITORS admirers are even urging hin
to go to the United States for the pur
pose OF presenting Germany's case.
The ZeituH1 am Mittug and the af
ternoon editions OF the TdgebIdtt an
VosSiche ZeitunC were not publishe
yesterday because OF a strike arisin
from wage demands made by the me
in the composing rooms.
Skilled workers receive good wages
The fact that the members Of tn
Soldiers and Workmen's Councils ar
drawing pay on the same scale ha
stimulated employees In man,
branches TO accept that figure as IN
standard Of pay.
The Wertheim department stor
shut down as n result of the firm
refusal to meet the demand OF tn
women employees for an extra wa
allowance ranging from 100 TO 90
marks ($25 TO 5000 each. Th
amount involved would total 1900,
900 marks (S375,0 ,00O). The firm offere,
compromise OF 100000 mark
($175,000) which was refused. Th
women walked out and organized
parade through the downtown streets
The Wertheim management an
nounced that the salary increase
granted In the last two years eX
ceeded 5000, 900 marks C$750 000).
Labor Difficulties serious.
That the labor situation in man,
of the big industrial plants in BerliI
is rapidly becoming acute Is evidenced
by the peremptory demands made b!
the worltmen and clerical forces in tn
GoltlitllS AiulShE I-ltNAl lNdl w vi N
and the allied Siemens- -Schuakert plan
at Spandau.
The wage schedules with which tn
management Is. being confronted cal
for increases amounting to $4,000, 90
marks (s31.25O.0Oo) annually. Th
firm last year declared a dividend O
1S.500 900 marks Cs3,375,000). At on
stage of the negotiations part OF tn
employees attempted TO prevent tn
directors and executive officers of tn
firm from entering their offices.
The employees OF the General Elec
tric Company have presented a nev
wage schedule which provides for a
annual increase of 120,000,000 mark
/ ($40, 200, ,000). Leading manufactures
OF Berlin declare that the arbitrary de
mands of the workers will eventual
result In forcing the big plants I
locate IN the provinces. as otherwis
they will be wholly eliminated fror
the worlds competitive markets.