The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-23

members of the German peace dele.
CATION. -
(. why Cabinet Resigned.
The Premier said that the resigna-
ton of the Scheldemann Cabinet was
due to lack of a united front with
regard to the draft OF the peace terms
on which the Cabinet views were
sharply divided. These discussions
went through the ranks Of the Gov
eminent parties.
ITO every one of us who belonged
TO the former Government" said Herr
Bauer, ut was a bitter and hard fight
between indignation and cool retlec-
ton. 1t was exceedingly hard for us
TO take the decision to join new
Government, whose most urgent duty
must be to conclude a peace Of in
Justice"
Germany acquired new Cabinet
only after nearly week of literal
sweating In blazing Weimar weather.
The signing of the peace terms nat
urally was. the only question around
which the Cabinet construction
hinged. and the Government. which
went on record as considering the
terms unacceptable, found a surpris-
ing following behind them.
Majority Socialists Win.
The ,hrst party ballots, however,
seemed to make the signing Of the
treaty Inevitable, for the powerful
Majority Socialist party voted two.
thirds for ending the suspense with
the Independents supporting them, the
Conservatives as a party behind them
and the Centrists on the fence, the
result appeared q foregone conclusion.
But the Conservatives suddenly
swung around and declared for non.
signature, the. Centrists warered and
imposed conditions md the Demo.
Gratis temporarily baked any hope Of
a majority bs stubbornly persistlng
against the extradition by tho Entente
of the exEmperor and other German
notables. This was the stumbling
block, for. the. Democrats could not
be budged FROM the attitude which
they ftentthyms4r z forforn pride In
the fdrmsr Vsf iora ant the beAef
that revolut6nlwSuid break out in
protest by. the people should Hinden-
burg. Ludendprfr and other tddpls alS
be Inundated.
Count Johann won Bernstofff. the
expelled Ambassador at Washington,
played a prominent part in the pro.
ceedings not only as president of the
German peace committee, but, accord
ing to persistent r,imor, as the pos
sible successor of Count Won Brock
dorff- Rantzau,- head Of the German
peace delegation. for there was a
powerful group that wanted him to
suffer the poetic justice Of signing
the terms after he had helped 20
bring the United States into the war.
Count Won Bernstorff, however, re-
sisted. and. after having been ap-
pointed in the morning to the Cabinet
headed by Herr Bauer, refused to &C.
cept the appointment or have any
thing to do with the matter.
Ministry Lasts One Hour.
Later in the day tho Centrists
dropped their demand for modifica-
ton of the terms and expressed their
willingness to sign. The Democrats
also weakened 70 such an extent that
fifteen of their sixty-five members in
the Assembly went over to the side
In favor Of signature.
The first ministry. headed by Herr
Bauer. lasted exactly one hour. 1t
crashed on the stubbornness of the
Democrats and Bernstorfrs fiat re-
fusal to head tho Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. DIR. Dernburg. who had been
named as Minister OF Finance, as.
serted he could not cooperate. The
DEMOCRATS then reduced their de-
mands to one point, on which they
were adamant, namely, that the Tx
German Emperor, Hindenburg and
LudendOrff must not be delivered to
the Entente for trial.
Eventually the Bauer Cabinet was
reconstructed, with Dr. Herman Muel.
Ter, the Majority. Socialist leader, as
Minister of Foreign affairs, and Ma.
thlas Erzberger as Minister of Fl.
nance and Vice-Premier.
In his first speech In the afternoon
Premier Bauer outlined his pro,
gramme TO the Peace Committee OF
the Assembly. 1t was decided not 10
vote on the question OF peace. since
the Cabinet was distinctly peace
Cabinet, but to submit the question I'd
the Assembly for ratification.
Count Won Brockdorff- Rantzau left
Weimar to-day for vacation in his