Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-20

k1EfSE are Two rOlHefenC as
poets to the recent German
election which have at least
equal Importance. namely:
The bearing Of the result upon Ger
many herself and upon the outside
world. In no small degree the peace
and the economic stability of the
world depend upon a return of the
German people to normal conditions.
both for political and economic
reasons.
is concerned, it is plain that the cleo
ton has resulted in no clear de-
cision. There has been a great
change in the strength of the par
ties in the national assembly. AS was
expected that coalition which has at
least nominally ruled for nearly a
year and a half has opened both to
the right and to the left; that is, in
the direction of reaction and Of rev.
olution. The great gains at the polls
have been made by the Independent
socialists, who represent extreme
radicalism, and by the nationa list
and peoples party. which stand for
the old order and represent the jun
ker. Yet sweeping as were the
changes they have resulted in no
clear decision.
Red Strength Not Considerable.
So far as the socialists are con-
cerned. what has happened has mere
ly been a change of faction by vast
number of members of the party
Dissatisfied with the weakness of the
Ebert government in the face of jun
ker and militaristic activities, nota-
bly, in the case of the Kapp rebel
lion, large numbers Of the radicals
have gone over to the Independent
faction. But by contrast the commu-
nists, putting up a ticket for the first
time, were able to elect but two mem
bers. showing that the red strength
in Germany is not yet considerable
The losses of the center Cor Catholic)
party and Of the democrats have been
more impressive. Enthusiastically large
organizations have gone over to the re-
action. The result is that the old coali
ton, made up Of the majority socialists,
the center and the democrats, has lost
that overwhelming majority which II
acquired after the election Of January
ing in a majority. while almost GER
tainly any majority it may be able to
scrape together will be too slight to
promise permanence.
In this situation it would seem that
there must be new grouping OF par
ties The possibility of a reunion be-
tween the two socialist factions rs pat
emit Yet between the two there is very
great bitterness and not little blood
for the Ebert government put down va
rious risings with severity which Is
explicabIe only when it is realized that
the instruments employed were the mill
tarists Any coalition of the two social
ist groups would certainly mean the
elimination of Ebert and his associates
and the new orientation Of the party
policies. In point OF fact. such step
ner Of a real conflict between the Old
autocracy and the new socialistic and
democratic spirit Of Germany.
On the other hand, it is conceivable
that all the parties might unite AGAINST
the socialists, the center and the Demo
Gratis Joining hands With the nationals
and the peopie's party. But sucf
/ coalition would have. in turn. only ar
exceedingly slight majority. If It could
command any numerical advantage al
all. Moreover it is doubtful whether
the center, which contains very large
fraction of working men. would care
Tn risk its existence and invite an in
ternal split by going over.to the reac-
ton. A fusion between the two So
cialist factions and the Catholic party
would seem more likely. and such
fusion would provide clear majority
for some new ministry.
Deemed First Step in Chnos.
But. after all. the majority Of OBJ
servers in Germany and out seem TO
hold to the opinion that no one of the
several possible read5ustments Is
probable On the contrary. there
seems. particularly in the German
press, TO be a tendency to regard the
election as merely the first step in a
new condition of chaos and there are
insistent demands for a new election
TO avoid what promises to be hope
less deadlock.
Yet one fact seems worthy of en-
phasis. The fall of the majority So
cialists is primarily to be ascribed to
the failure of that party. since 1t was
the dominant element in the coalition
to make good the promises. not mere
Nv in the matter of restoring order
and peace at home. but in dealing
t1rastically with the old regime. Its
failure to remove the servants of the
old regime both in the army and in
the civil service, it's cowardice in the
face of menaces coming from the
Ludendorff crowd. above all its abrupt
fight from Berlin when Kapp struck
and its subsequent failure to punish
those responsible for that rising,
these circumstances have naturally
democratic and radical Germany
Just at present the outside world
seems to be more fearful OF holshe-
vism than of Prussianism. There IS
tendency in many quarters TO view
with equanimity the return TO con-
troll of the old gang in Germany. De-
cause with all it's faults, that old gang
did know how to preserve order and
to crush anarchy. Both in Britain
and the United States there has been
little sympathy for German democ-
racy because that democracy has been
and Enthusiastically remains radical
radical beyond ANYTHING existing In
the political life of either the United
States,or Great Britain.
II is perfectly idle to suppose that
there is going to be any way OF
changing Germany from without. II
there is to be a new Germany. II the
German people are actually to turn
their backs upon the ideas and the
leaders responsible for their recent
world war. then the revolution must
be accomplished by men who belong
to the independent socialist party.
That it will be a rose water analr
or that the democracy which results
will be like or even pleasing to our
British and American ideas is not to
he expected. The most that one can
hope must be that 1t Will be anti
Prussian.
Majority soeialists' Fate.
Bv contrast all other expedients
are certain to end as has that of the
majority socialists. The leaders Of
this party were time-servers. They
had been the servants Of the old
regime before the war. During the
war they had voted the credits and
sunported the annexationist policies
of the junkers. Called to power on
the morrow Of the collapse, they had
promptly made terms with the old
order. They lacked the courage and
the conviction to undertake real
reform, and when the radicals, the
extremists, led by Liebknecht. Rosa
,vd Knrt EiSner pndp9v-