New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-09

'~ VI piuiaiiey enables cand;dst
to win with the backing of the minor;ts. :.
the total vote cast, and gives rise !.
continuous conflict between the eyacn.;-
head and the legislative branch.
The presidents position will bs s,,
intrenched and his authority reinfors.s,
by the fact that he has been a,so..s
tne vote OF the whole people. This will ~
able MN to serve IS factor of stah;,;..
during ministerial crises.
AS to his powers, the German nra,a...
Will occupy middle place, betwesr A.
PRESIDENT of the United States and A.
British king. Like the former, he ,y;,, !.
elected by a vote of the whole peon1s H..
there will be difference, inasmucb ~
the election will be direct and not Throws
the medium of an electoral colepe ~
the other hand, while the American pr..;
dent appoints his cabinet sccord;n. =.
his own pleasure, the president of thu ~.
man republic will be required l;to -.
King of England, to form parliamar4.~
ministry, to be backed by a Legislative ~.
Jorlfy. Non-pOlitical experts, of course
may have a place in this cabinet PROVIDED
thelr persons and programmes are apreo.
able to the majority in parliament.
1.-THE legislature will consist Of tr,.
chambers, peoples house (volksbars,
and states house. or federal corr.n
(staatenhaus). The former will he e,o...s
through direct ballot of the constituents.
oaseo on universal equal suffrage The
latter Will be composed of delegation,
elected by the legislative bodies of ths
federal states. This provision will MT J.,
PAIR the democratic character of the ~
per chamber, as the legislative bodies ~
the federal states will also be elected h.
universal, equal and direct suffrage Tx,
the peoples house, and not on the basis ~
reactionary suffrage laws like the old
Prussian diet. The states house is ;ndis.
pensable, because 1t brings out the federal
character of the German people-a featu,.
all the more necessary in view of tn.
possible inclusion of German Austria.
"In case of disagreement between III.
houses OF parliament or between the presi
dent and the legislative referendum Of
the whole people will be appealed to.
In the states house the number Of seats
VIII be apportioned to the several states
on the basis of population, but no state
Will receive more than twenty-three vote,
1t IS assumed that about one million neons
wall elect representative, totalling sixty.
nine seats No state will have more than
one-thlrd of this total, regardless of its
population.
Ihls provision indicates that the pre.
ponderance of Prussia over the rest of tbs
federal states has come IT, an end. AT the
same time, it implies the division Of
Prussia into several large governmental
UNITS. An average size for the ney
federal states is contemplated, with lower
limit of three to four millions and upper
limit Of seven to eight millions.
The formation of these new states will
take place according to local and pro
vincial needs and desires. Of course. COM
promise and mutual concessions will be
inevitable. 1t is equally clear that the
small municipalities and other diminutive
units must disappear, so much more as a
minimum of population will be fixed for
representation in the states house.
"On the other hand, the amalgamation
of the small states will necessitate re-
organization of the present large units
For instance, the creation of Thuringian
state Will call for the inclusion of the
present Prussian administrative district Of
Erturt, as well certain districts Of
northern Bavaria, which geographically
and economically belong to Thuringia.
Historical and economic considerations
demand the preservation of the Hanss
cities as Independent units, especially
Hamburg and Bremen These, moreover,
ought to be enlarged by the annexation Of
some Prussian hinterland."