Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-09
TEUTON ASSEMBLY
MAKESDAv|D HEAD
President Warns Delegates
Their Acts Must Gain
Worlds Confidence.
CLASH ON STATE RIGHTS

| By the Associated Press.
! WEIMAR, Friday February DIR.
! Eduard David, for many years one
| of the leaders of the German social
democratic party. today was almost
unanimously elected president of the
German national assembly.
Dr. David is one of the under sec
retaries of state for foreign affairs.
Dr. David received S74 out of a
| total of 399 votes, the independent
socialists withholding their votes. The
voting was by ballot and there was
considerable confusion when the dele
gates crowded into the narrow aisles
of the theater to place their votes
| in the ballot boxes
The clerical member, Fehrenbach, a
former president of the reichstag: the
democrat Haussmann and the conserv-
atfve Dietrich were elected vice presi-
dents. Fehrenbach and Haussmann
| 356.
Woman Delegate Is Bashful.
One woman delegate. who hesitated
in answering to her name in the roll
call yesterday. was equally bashful
and self-conscious during the voting
today. After some hesitation, the
woman walked TO the raised dais,
ignored the outstretched hand of the
teller, and deposited the ballot her.
self. She then turned and gazed
about triumphantly before descending
the stairs.
The crowds in the Court Theater
were quite as large as yesterday and
watched the proceedings eagerly. As
tatorS turned to see such nationwide
figures as Premier Ebert. Matthias Err
berger. DR.. Bernard Dernburg. Min
lister Auer of Bavaria. DIR. Richthofen,
Herr Hiidebrand, Philip Scheide-
mann. Herr Legien and Dr. SPAIN
The crowd laughed when it was found
that there were three Schulzes in the
assembly. They come. respectively.
from East Prussia, West Prussia and
Posen.
notable figure in the theater who
draws almost as much attention as
those on the stage is Theodor Wolff.
editor of the Berlin Tageblatt, who
occupied a place in the first balcony.
He is the cynosure of all eyes as he
stands with his hands in his vest arm
holes eagerly watching each develop
ment
long white boards and they add a sort
of picturesque touch to the sober col
ors of the whole
DR. David's speech was little more
than repetition of the words of
Chancellor Ebert on Thursday, espe-
Lorraine and the union of Austria
with Germany, both of these refer
ences being loudly cheered. He said
that the old German structure had
been destroyed and appealed to the
assembly to build up new and better
house in the place of the old one.
DIR. David brought wave of ap-
prevail when he said that political
self-discipline was a pre-condition to
political DIFFERENTIATION, and an
other when he declared that the as
sembly should be the headquarters of
the free word. Germany was a .:oun-
try ripe for democracy, he continued
but he warned the assembly that the
eyes of millions OF people in the world
were directed toward it. Germany, he
SAID. could earn the confidence OF this
world only by rapid creative work and
must understand how to bridge the
gulf to cooperative understanding.
Receives Great Ovation.
His greeting to AIsace- Lorraine and
the declaration that Germany would
not stop insisting that it have the
right of self-determination evoked a
great ovation. as did his reference to
the Austrians, whom he said he hoped
to be able to welcome as colleagues
The first debate in the assembly is
expected to come Monday, when
Philipp Scheidemann probably will
give an accounting of the stewardship
OF the present government. The lead
ers OF the assembly are said to be
unanimous in cutting down as far as
possible the length OF the debates, SO
that the assembly can accomplish ttx
n a nil
To this end fun sessions will be called
only when the committees have COM
pleted examination of the bills. The
bulk OF the work and discussion will
be done in committee.
Many delegates are hopeful that the
assembly will adopt provisional con-
stftution which can serve until per
manent constitution is adopted This
would enable the early election of a
president to represent Germany i'll the
name of the government.
Weirnar dispatch dated Friday
and received Friday night erroneousIy
reported that Kari Kautsky, also an
affairs, had been elected president of
the assembly. Kautsky is an indie
pendent socialist and was last report
ed attending the socialist conference
at Bern.
Bitter Contest Over Federation.
WEIMAR,, Wednesday. February 5
Thy the Associated Press) The day
before the converting of the German
national assembly was devoted to
party caucuses and discussion of va
rious projects to be brought before
tho assembly.
The Christian party at its caucus
decided to resume the old name of
centrist Herr Pfeiffer, one of the
leaders of the party and a former
MEMBER OF the reiehstag, gave this
explanation of the change:
I'VE do not feel that we really