The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-19
GERMANY VOTES
FOR ASSEMBLY
IN NATION TODAY
Powerful Parties March
Separately, but Will
Fight Together.
SOCIALISTS IN THE LEAD
Conservative Groups Confident
of Gaining Control Of New
National Body.
SOCIALISTS IN THE LEAD
Special Gable Despatch 10 THE suS from the
Londnn TimHa Sert.ice

Special Ca6ts Despatch TO TIE suS from the
London Times Sertice.
Copyright. 1919: oil rights yeserred.
STOCKHOLM, Jan. 1S.-The elections
for a National Assembly are to be held
in Germany tomorrow. One result OF
the revolution in Germany is that the
attitude OF parties is really inverted
and those who once were called
Schwarzscher pessimists by the Kaiser
are now optimists, some are even
utopian, while the loud voiced Pan
Germans have lost all hope OF con-
querlng and Germanizing the world
and have turned pessrnists.
AS the Socialists had to hide theiI
opinions during the old regime. so now
the upper class parties are afraid OF
party of the Right are hiding under
new names. all ending in "Volkspartel.
The Pan-Germanists and Conserva
tives have become Deutsche- -Nationalt
yolkspartei, with Count Westarp and
Baron Won Coop as their respective
Leaders, The former Centre Is Christ
Itch Volkspartei and the leaders ar,
Herren SPAIN and Erzberger. The most
OF tho National Liberals have Joined
the Deutsche volkspartei. whose leader
Is Herr Stresemann.
Monarchists Cling to Hope.
The real programmes OF the differ
ent parties are all hidden behind vague
promises of peace. freedom. order and
bread. but the fact is they are little
changed AS OF overthrown aristocrats
in all revolutions, one can say they
have learned nothing. forgotten nothing
Jnly the first is openly monarchistic and
militaristic, while the others declare
themselves ready to collaborate with the
republic. but are certainly at the bottom
OF their hearts attached to the old times
though they understand that monar-
chistic counter revolution now woulc
have no chance OF success, especially as
the Hohenlollerns have made them
selves impossible forever in Germany
More than once I teard them argue
ths, the Crown Prince. who has no,
ahdicated, Is now legally the King oi
Prussia and Germany's Emperor.
The three parties OF the Right are
certainly all capitalistic. although they
declare themselves for socialization ir
vague terms with many reservations
Their hatred against England is GER
tainly still strong and they hardly hide
their hopes FOR revenge. They are al
nationalistic. and the Deutsche- Nationalt
are even openly against the league OF
nations
StiIl Dread England.
or the actual situation they are very
and I often heard them say
England's intentions are to let the Rus
sian Bolshevists overflow Germany and
make their country a battlefield only &c
keep the Bolshevists back at the Rhine
to save the Entente countries contamina-
tion. They pretend TO believe Engla nd
intends 10 crush Germany forever by
giving the Bolshevist a free field and
keeping up the blockade.
When fishing for votes IN to election
campaign they talk Of the Bolshevis'
danger TO private puroperty.
The Deutsche -Nationale can count or
the vqres OF all the Junkers and a great
number Of farmers. but are certainly the
weakest party. IAe CnTlstllSCh Demo
kratische Volkspartei will get the votes
of the whole Of the clergy. many South
German peasants and 4 great number ot
middle class women. The Deutsche
Volksparte. attracts the majority of cap,
itslists. industry and commerce. These
parties have all adopted the motto 10
march separately but hght together
The Deutsche- Nationale in spite OF the
election methods will not
get any representation at all in many
circles.
Theodor Wolff, whom saw the other
day. looks rather optinst!cally at the
situation, though all through the war he
was pess imistic. He believes the Gov
ernment will have strength to check
Bolshevism and that Germany In a
fairly short time will recover from the
actual crisis. The programme OF the Ma.
Partei Is we'll known. slow sociallzation,
election Of Judges and officials. highly
progressive income taxes against the
middle class and policies for the sepa =
ration of State and church.
They are far the strongest party, and
count on the majority OF workmen OF
the country, where 60 per cent OF the
population Is industrial In many places
they will collahorate with the Independ-
ent Socialists in the election,
Independents Also strong.
Tho Independent Socialists are also
strong in numbers. They stand on the
basis Of the Erfurter programme OF 1891.
They broke out OF the Social Democratic ic
party during the war on'y on the ques-
ton OF voting war credits. Their pro-
gramme in this election differs from the
majority of Socialists only on the ques-
tion OF quicker specialization.
The Spartacus people are against any
National Assembly where the upper and
middle classes are represented, and con-
sequently will abstain from voting II the
voting cannot be done with machine
guns, Their number is less important
than ono would think from the noise
and confusion they are causing, but they
make up for numbers by fanaticism.
The Government seems now deter
mined at any price TO prevent them
grasping the dictatorship even IN Berlin,
but it Is not impossible that they will
succeed In disturbing the elections not
only In Berlin but In places in the coun-
try, where they have many adherents
among the younger peasants lately re-
turned home TO their villages from the
army.
The elections take place undisturbed
There is no doubt the two Socialist
parties will get strong majority,
especially as n great number of women
will vote for them, The opposition not
only between the Spartacus and Ma
Continued on Fourteenth Page.