Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-23

oting.
Before the vote of confidence was
taken Herr Bauer, the new pre-
mier. declared that the government
would sign the treaty, but without
acknowledging the responsibility of
the German people for the war and
without accepting the restrictions
contained in articles 227 to 230 in
the treaty relating to the trial of
the former emperor and the extra
ditlon of other German personages.
Sweat to Get Cabinet.
Weimar, June 22.-Germany ac-
qulesced in new cabinet only after
nearly week of literal sweating
in blazing Weimar weather. The
signing of the peace terms naturally
was the only question around which
the cabinet construction hinged and
the government, which went on rec
ord as considering the terms unac-
ceptable, found a surprising follow
ing behind them. The first party
ballots, however, seemed to make
the signing of the treaty inevitable.
for the powerful majority socialist
party voted two-thirds for ending
the suspension. With the independ-
ents supporting them, the conserva-
tives as a party behind them, and
the centrists on the fence, the result
appeared a foregone conclusion.
But the conservatives suddenIv
swung around and declared for nom
signature; the centrists wavered and
imposed conditions, and the demo-
Gratis temporarily baked any hope
OF majority by stubbornly persist
ing against the extradition by the
entente ct the German emperor and
other German notables.
This was the stumbling block, for
the democrats could not be budged
from the attitude which they held
through the belief that a revolution
would break out in protest by the
people should Won Hindenburg. Luz
dendortf and other idols be humili-
ated.
Bernstorff in Big Role.
count Won Bernstorff played
prominent part in the proceedings.
not only as president of the German
peace committee but according to
persistent rumors as the possible
successor of Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantzau, for there was a powerfu.
group that wanted him to suffer the
poetic justice of signing the terms
after he had helped to bring the
United States into the war.
Won Bernstorff, however, resisted
and after having been appointed in
the morning to the cabinet refused
to accept the appointment or have
anything to do with the matter
Later in the day the centrists
dropped their demand for mod;fi-
cation OF the terms and expressed
their Willingness to sign. Their de.
mands also weakened to such an ex-
tent that fifteen of their IS mem
bers in the assembly went over to
the side in favor of the signature.
The first ministry headed by Herr
Bauer lasted exactly one hour. II.
crashed on. the stubborness of the
democrats and Won Bernstorff's flat
refusal to head the ministry of for
elgn affairs. DR.. Dernburg, who had
been named as minister of finance,
declared he could not cooperate.
They then reduced their demands
to one point on which they were
adamant, namely, that the former
German emperor, Won Hindenburp
and Ludendorff, must not be deliv-
cred to the entente for trial.
Bauer Cabinet Reconstructed.
Eventually the Bauer cabinet was
reconstructed with DR.. Herman
Mueller, the majority socialist
leader. as minister of foreign affairs
and Matthias Erzberger as minister
of finance and vice premier.
In his first speech in the afternoon
Premier Bauer outlined his program
to the peace committee of the as
sembly. Count Won Brockdorff.
Rantzau will leave Weimar for a
vacation in his private capacity.
Herr Bauer, the new premier, had
hitherto scarcely been mentioned for
the position. Prior to his appoirt-
ment as labor minister, he was sec
retary of the labor unions of Ger
many. He is rated as long-headed
conservative socialist.
Gustav Adolf Bauer, who succeeds
Philip Scheidemann as premier, is
second chairman OF the general
commission of the federation of Ia.
Dor unions. He was elected to the
reichstag in 1912 from Breslau and
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