The Washington times., 1920-07-17
CASTE AND CLASS
WIN IN RE|CHSTAG
Spirit Of Republicanism Dies as
= German People Scorn
Great Ideals.

BERLIN. July 16.-"'The spirit OF
republ licanism Is dying in Germany.
Caste and class triumphed; the ideals
OF equality and democracy were de-
feated at the Reichstag elections.
Messrs, Barber. Baker, Banker and
Bootblack went to the polls and reg
istered their protest against pattern
ing the German government after
the principles and ideals OF the United
States Republic.
Germans vote for parties. not for
candidates; the party's victory or de-
feat is purely a matter of the peoples
approval or disapproysl OF it's plat
form.
The Reichstag election may be COM
pared to three salesmen attempting
TO create a desire to sell their sys-
tenn of government to the voters. The
governments on trial were the United
States. English and Russian. The
United States republican ideals OF
democracy lost; the monarchy or
England and class dictatorship OF
Russia won.
WOULD RESTORE MONARCHY.
The reactionary National and Peo-
ple's parties. from whose ranks were
recruited the Kapp revolutionists,
wish to see the return OF a monarchy
-
would come the British parliamentary
system. The hierarchy of nobility
would again be officially recognized,
as in England. The Nationalists feel
the need OF a king in their German
blood: the Peoples party is not actu-
ated so much by sentimental notions
OF royalty as by the desire for
stable government to protect the "big
interests" They contend the British
system best answers this purpose.
The German democrats ideas on
government most closely of any Ger
man party approach those of an
American. He is opposed to caste or
class distinctions. He believes In
representative and majority rule in a
republican government. Many Of the
Democratic leaders have made ex-
tended visits to America and have a
keen appreciation of American poll
tics. The other moderates in the old
coalition. the Catholic Centrum. and
the Majority Socialists have much in
common with Americans In their
point of view.
The Independent Socialists, with
their program Of revolutionary Soviets
in every industry electing a supreme
Soviet. or rat" their slogans Die
tatorship Of the Proletariat" and
"Hoch die Weltrevolution." are dis
ciples OF the Russians.
The Independents call democracy an
antiquated notion. as much out OF
fashion as despotic kings, and preach
class prejudice. Freedom Is not in
cluded in their platform: they would
have a dictatorship which would per-
init committees Of workmen to regu-
late and order the lives OF classes in
tho jndiy Ia
uars personal liberty.
FIVE MILLION VOTES.
Nearly five million Germans voted
for Glass rule. IL that class be the
workmen. making the Independent So
ciaIists the second strongest party
in the Reichstag. According to the
Official figures. recount figures pub
lished by the Reichscha ncellor. the
independents secured 4,895.317 votes
compared with 2.517.2s0 in 1919. The
Majority Socialists, who polled H.
5o9,048 a year ago, received only
5.614,456 votes.
The exponents of American theories
of government, the Democrats. who
had 5,641,825 hackers in 1919. found
that their support had dwindled to
22O2,334 when the ballots were count
ed. The Peoples party more than
doubled, with 1,345.639 in 1919: they
now received 3.606,316. The Royalistic
National party also gained. with
3.121,479 a year ago, they now polled
3,736,77s.
Certainly the inability of the old
coalition to hold it's own with the
entente or to greatly improve condi-
tions at home has disgusted the voter
and he has decided he will try some
thing else. His choice has led him
away from republicanism and democ-
racy, which he believes has failed. He
now wants to entrust Germany to a
monarchy or to Bolshevism.