New-York tribune., 1919-03-05
German Labor
IOCetDenlands
BY New Laws
Legislation Ready Said to
Exceed Even Strongest
Demands of the Socialists
Goes to Assembly Soon
Government Sure to Ask for
Specialization of Mines
and the Control of Coal

WElMAR, March (By The Assocj.
ated Press The government is near,v
ready, after many weeks work, to pre-
sent the National Assembly with dras-
TIC and 'farreaching labor legislation
which is said to exceed anything de-
manded even by the Independent So
c'allsts. The government also will pre-
sent measures for the socialization of
all mines of Germany and taking over
OF the coal syndicate by the nation.
The Socialists have presented q Hill
providing that property necessary to
the maintenance and exploitation of
the wealth of the soil shall belong onlv
TO the government. Another bill demands
that the government arrange for tb.
transfer of mines and public power
plants from private to common owner
ship and the appointment of industrial
councils. consisting of workmen. for
the control and operation of these
properties.
New Constitution Upheld
The draft Of the new const,tnt;o,
OF Germany was under discussion at
the forenoon session today Of the
German National Assembly. and Hugo
Preuss. tho author Of the draft. AN
swered criticisms OF the Right and
Left.
Herr Freuss said the Conservatives
claimed the old constitution was better
than the new one, and under it the
people had been happier and more
fortunate. He said that was not a
matter for the present leaders to
judge, as history would show which
had been right. He declared it. was a
question whether "the pleasures and
good life of the old days" had been
caused by the old constitution.
Division of Prussia Asked
Herr Alpers, representative of the
German party of Hanover made
plea for division OF Prussia undc;
which Hanover would be independent.
herr Hcine, the Prussiun Minister of
Justice, IN reply, said that the German
Empire had come into existence
through the leadership Of Prussia.
lhe German people, he added had a
right to unity, but that was possible
only If Prussia was left untouched.
President Fehrenbach opened the
session by paying tribute to General
Won Lettow-V -Vorbeck and other returned
soldiers from German Elst Africa.
Government circles are said to be
considerably exercised over the fact.
which is daily becoming more notic,-
able, that nearly the entire Independ-
cnt Socialist delegation in the Nation
al Assembly has vanished during these
days of strikes, uprisings and attempts
to cut off Weimar from the rest of
Germany.
Independents Busy With Strikes
To-day, for instance, there were but
two Independent Socialists present at
the Assembly session, Herr Cohn and
Herr Hencke. On Saturday there had
been four Independents present in the
body and on Friday five such members.
The National Assembly probably will
vote itself this week in permanent
session so as to be able to assemble
Immediately when desired This ac-
.lcn is proposed in view of the limited
armistice, capable of being terminated
on short notice, making it desirable
for the Assembly to be able to reach
tie necessary decisions quickly. The
plans for this action may prevent the
short adjournment which it was cx-
pected would be taken the middle If
this week
Weimar continues to be heavily
guarded by troops. The contingent
has been increased and light artillery
added to its equipment. Machine guns
now adorn buildings in strategic To-
calities, notably the provisional tclc-
graph headquarters where all the AS
sembly dispatches are filed and which
commands a large square and half
dozen streets.