The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-04-19
WILL BE RULE
BY PEOPLE
New German Government VIII Have
President Elected by Popu-
lar Vote of Citi-
zenS.
[By Frank J. Taylor, United Press
Staff Correspondent

[By Frank ]. Taylor, United Press
Staff Correspondent
BERLIN, March 8.-(By mail. y
Crowding the main elements of the
new German republic into the little
town of Weimar during the national
constituent assembly in February
of the move to the quiet Thuringen
officials of the different departments
opportunity to tread on each others
toes and get acquainted.
That is just what happened. 1t Is
no simple matter to completely over
throw highly organized government
such as the old regime had in Ger
many, and install a new form Of
government which will begin func-
tioning at once. Officials and depart
ments had to be set right as to their
relations with each other, and in Wei
mar the German republic got good
start.
In more or less backyard-over-the
fence fashion, gossip spread and all
the secrets of one department were
soon known by the other, with the re-
suit that there was a better under
standing. All the officials Of the
government In Weimar gathered be-
hind the rostrum in the reichstag
theatre every afternoon and discuss
ed problems, or conducted business in
an informal way, resulting to large
extent in the abolition of the old for
mality.
AS for the actual work Of the as
sembly, 1t was put through with much
more speed than was anticipated, be-
cause delegates as well as members
of the government found nothing to
disturb them in Weimar. They were
eager to leave Weimar, and hurried
the preliminary work. Not an unim-
portant consideration was the quiet
of Weimar. During the time that the
assembly was meeting there, Weimar
was an oasis, free from uprisings.
strikes, assassinations and general
disorders.
The republic which the constituent
ASSEMBLY has formed in provisional
way, and which will be the model for
the permanent organizations, is a
animation of the old empires ad-
ministrative system, especially SO far
as the interior is concerned, with a
new head on 1t. A president and a
minister-president, at the head Of a
cabinet, direct affairs. The presi-
dent, elected by the people. replaces
the kaiser, and the minIster-president
appointed by the president, forms he
cabinet, just as did the kalserly-chos.
en- chancellor formerly.
The cabinet is not changed materi-
ally, except that it's members are
called ministers instead Of secretar-
les. The old idea was that the chan
cellor was responsible for every de-
partment through its secretaries. In
the republic each minister Is himself
responsible, and if a crisis comes in
the cabinet, the whole organization
does not break up, but merely those
concerned. In theory this is how it
is supposed to work, and this was the
motive in making ministers out Of all
secretaries.
The legislative end Of the govern
ment is changed materially. AS be-
| fore, the country is federation of a
number of states, having a vote in
| the lower house for each half-million
inhabitants. The big exception is
that no state can have more than
half the members, as Prussia did be-
fore. no matter what its population.
This frees Germany from Prussia s
power, which is changed too. Prus-
sia herself has been among the fore
most in becoming republican. Bava-
ria reserves rights to decide regard
ing use of her army and has not
agreed to turn her public utilities
over.
The upper house, "staatenhaus,' y
as it is called, is similar to the old
bundesrat, except that it is has no
veto over the reichstag, and general
ly, therefore, does not count. Whether
or not it will exist under the per
manent constitution is doubtful. The
new government is truly of the people
and will be whatever the voters elect
The Germans will never be able tc
claim their government to1S advan
| tage of them.