Norwich bulletin., 1919-08-18

lOU OssOt1sW ssOlI l Made By Germans
 Has Gone Into Effect After Long Debate Before Ma tional Assembly President
 Will Be Elected By People.
 Berlin. Friday. Aug. 15.-(By The A. P.)-The new German constitution which was passed by the national as- sembly after months of debate and which became effective this week. is divided into two main parts ~ the "composition and ties of the empire and the basic rights and basic duties of Germans The first part consists of seven sections and the second of five.
 The ub-divisions of the first part
 are: the empire and individual states;
 the Reichstag; the Imperial President: :
 imperial government; imperial coun-
 cil imperial legislation and imperial
 administration of justce. Those of
 the second part are: individual com munity of life; religious and religi-
 and economic life. The concluding part of the constitution bears the title: Transition Relations"
 The preamble to the constitution begins as follows:
 The German people united in its
 branches and inspired by the will to renew and strengthen its empire in freedom and justice. to further in ner and outer peace and social ad vance, has voted this constitution.
 Section 1 declares the German em- pire is a republican state. sovereignty being based on the people. It describes the territorial limits of the empire establishes the imperial colors as be- ing black, red and gold and states that the generally recognized, rules of interna tional law will be held as bind ing on the empire. The empire will have exclusive legislative rights gov zenship, immigration. defense. coinage. customs. posts. telegraphs and long distance telephones. re-population, motherhood, children, youth, health, labor insurance, protection to laborers and employees, confiscation, care of wounded soldiers and their relatives. specialization Of national resources. economic undertakings, manufacture, distribution, price fixing food. luxury, articles of industry, mines. insurance, the mercantile marine, control of lake and coast fisheries. railroads, auto mobile traffic. transportation by land, water and air; road construction and theatres.
  tive rights. but the imperial law will supersede those of individual states
 The constitution lays down rules for the empire territorially. pro- viding that p1ebiSciteS shall be held In districts affected.
 The Reichstag supersedes the tenn porary national assembly. It will be elected for term of four years The president will be chosen by the entire German people instead of by the as- and will heft office for a term of seven years. He will represent the empire under international law. will make treaties and accredit diplomats of war or peace must be proclaimed by the imperial Reichstag. and treaties with foreign states must be accepted by the Reichstag- The president, as commander of the chief defense forces of the empire. can em- ploy armed forces for quelling dis turbanceS. |.
 The chancellor will occupy posi- tion analogous to that of vice presi- dent. The Reichstag is given the right to impeach the president. chan cellor and ministers. Charges upon which impeachment proceedings are based must bear the names Of 100 members of the Reichstag before the case can be brought before the court
 The imperial council will be com posed of representatives of individual states which will have at least one vote apiece. The votes of the larger states will be based on population.
 German merchant vessels will com prise unified mercantile marine.
 Provision is made for a budget sys- tenn and the reichStag cannot raise the amount of the budget without an agreement with the coun- cil. a
 Judges of the ordinary civil courts will be chosen for life and cannot be except by judicial decision. Military courts are abolished save in war time and on board warshiDs.
 The second main part provides that all Germans shall be equal before the law and that men and women shall have basically the same rights and duties Preferential rights and draw backs of birth and. position are re- sidered as only the part of persons name.
 Every. citizen of an individual state is a citizen. of the empire Every German will have equal rights any where within the empire, and may i've where he pleases. Every Ger man permitted to emigrate will have the privilege of being protected in foreign countries and no German may l be delivered up to a foreign country | for prosecution and punishment. The Germans house will be his castle.
 There will be no censorship save for i moving pictures for which regulations will be made to suppress obJectionaple
 
 : Under the heading "Community of | Life" the constitution declares sthat | constitutes the basis of fam ly life and the salvation of the nation lnd, it is therefore. under the special protection of the constitution on the oasis of equality of the sexes.
 Motherhood. it is declared. has a ,rior claim to the protection or the tate. uIeeitimate children shall be | ,la ced under the same bodily. spirit lal and social conditions as legitimate ,nes and youth must be protected rom moral, spiritual or physical neg ect.
 Under religion the constitution ee- .lares that all citizens of Germany hall enjoy complete freedom of be- ief and conscience. No state cnurcn .xists and religion plays no part in citizenship. Compulsory education Is provided.
 The constitution lays down basic ules for the economic future. guaran-
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