Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-12
EBERT ELECTED
FIRST PRESIDENT
Of GE RMAN STATE:
National Constitution Unanin-
ouSIy Adopted After Three
Hour Wrangle Over Secret
Agreement Clause,
.sy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WIRE


Basel, Feb. 1.-THE German ma
tional assembly today elected Fried
rich Ebert president of the German
state by vote of 277 out of 379 votes
IA majority Of l03 Herr Ebert ac-
cepted the election. Count Won Posa
dowsky- Wehner received 40 votes.
Weimar Feb. lot Monday, by the
Associated PressD The national as
sembly unanimously adopted n provi-
sional constitution az o'clock ahis
evening, after throe-h hour wrangle
between the Independent socialists on
one hand and all the rest OF the house
on the other, over one sing'e point
the question of secret agreements.
Although the Independents lost in
their contention that Germany should
pave the way for the entire world IN
going definitely on record in favor
of open diplomatic agreements they
rose belatedly to make the acceptance
of the constitution as a whole unani-
nous, despite the inclusion of the
clause they had opposed.
This paragraph-a part of the
sixth clause of the constitution
reads as originally conceived and
now accepted:
AS soon as the German empire is
represented in the league of nations,
with the aim TO exclude secret agree
ments, all agreements with the ma
lions allied in the league must have
the acquiescene of the national as
sembly and the state commission"
The state commission corresponds !
to the federal council or second |
chamber.
The independents sought to have !
this clause altered so that Germany !
might unequivocally go on record as |
legally bound to enter into no secret ,
agreements, regardless of what other /
states may do in the future. The |
fight in the assembly on this point |
ragged during both second and third I
readings, led by DR., Hugo Haase and !
Dr. Cohn, for the independents, and
Herr landsberg, DIR. Dernberg and I
Count Won BrockdoIff- Rantzau for /
The government and other parties
DR.. Dernberg in supporting the
''apse as it was finally adopted said
hat it was impossible for Germarv
10 hope to make agreements with
other nations if they adhered to
secret methods while Germany. by
is own constitution, was in duty
pound to publish all the terms in i
letail
DR.. Haase replied that one of the
treat objects of the revolution had
leen the elimination of secrecy. He
'ontended that Germany could we'll
'iford to lead the way to peace by
he path of onenness, no matter what
'thers did, and as an evidence of the
incerity and genuineness of her re-
orms
Count Won Rrockdorff- Rant2au as I
ured' DR. Haase that he would never :
make secret treaty or agreement
'ut DR.. Haase replied that there was
10 assurance how long he would be i
n power. He ridiculed Dr. Dern-
ergs assertions. F,
As consequence of the cOntro-
ersy the house showed excitement !
or the first time since the opening !
f the assembly.
The Independents at first raised
bjection only to the frequent use of I
he word empire" in the document 8
nd requested che substitution of {
republic throughout the draft of ! |
cred for acceptance. Much time |
'as wasted in this procedure, and {
or time it looked as though the {
Id obstructionist tactics were being '
/
Centr'st and conservative speakers 2
eclared the provisional constitution |
as open to various objections more
r less technical, but that they were I
'illing to accept it, as Herr Del {
rueck said for the sake of unity
nd the urgent need of getting an c
government in working [
hape for its effect on Germany's d
nemies. il