The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-10-06

place for saying a word concerning
the relations between the Emperor and
the Chancellor In what follows ! dc
not refer to my relationship to Herr
Won Bethmann, but, quite impersonal
ly, to the difficulties In the relation
ship of the German Emperor to the
Imperial Chancellors, which are caused
by the Imperial Constitution.
I wish to call attention to the follow
ing points:
/. According to the Constitution
of the empire, the Chancellor is
the director and representative
of the foreign policy of the en-
pire, for which he assumes full
responsibility; he has this policy
carried out by the Foreign Of
flee, which is subordinated to
him, after he has reported on 1t to
the Emperor.
2. The Emperor has influence
on foreign policy only in SO far
as the Chancellor grants it to
him.
8. The Emperor can bring his
influence to bear through dis
cussions, information, suggestion,
proposals, reports and impress
sions received by him on his trav.
els, which then take rank as a
supplement to the political reports
of the Ambassadors OF Ministers
to the countries which he has per-
sonaily visited.
The Chancellor may act pursu-
ant to such action by the Emper-
or, and may make it the basis of
his decisions, whenever he is In
agreement with the Emperor's
supposed to maintain his own
point of view and carry it out
(Kruger dispatch).
5. According to the Constitution
the Emperor has no means of COM
pelling the Chancellor or the For
eign Office to accept his views. He
cannot cause the Chancellor to
adopt a policy for which the lat
ter feels that he cannot assume
responsibility Should the Emper-
or stick to his views, the Chan
cellor can offer his resignation
or demand that he be relieved
of his post.
6. On the other hand, the En-
peror has no constitutional means
of hindering the Chancellor or the
Foreign Office from carrying out
a policy which he thinks doubt
full or mistaken. All he can do, il
the Chancellor insists, is to make
change in the chancellorship.
Z. Every change of Chancelors,
| however, is serious matter, deep
| ly affecting the life of the nation,
| and hence, at a time of political
complications and high tension,
an extremely serious step, and ul-
TINA ratio Qast resort) which is
all the more daring in that the
number of men qualified to fill
this abnormally difficult post is
very small
The position of the Imperial Cha
cellor, which was based on the towe
ing personality of Prince Bismarc
had assumed a serious preponderan
through the constantly growing nu
Der of posts under the empire ov
all of which the Chancellor was plac
as chief and responsible head.
Disclaims Responsibility
If this is borne in mind, it Is a
solutely impossible that anybot
should still hold the Emperor alo
responsible for everything, as w
done formerly, especially toward t
end of the war and after the W;
by critical know-it-alls and carping N
elutionists, both at home and in t
Entente countries. That, quite aps
from everything personal, is a pre-
of complete ignorance of the EARL
Constitution of the German Empire
The visit of the Gar to Potsds
in November. 1910, went off to t
satisfaction of all concerned, and W
utilized by the Chancellor and He
Won Kinderlen to get into touch wi
the newly appointed Foreign Minist
SaZonaff, whom the Gar had broue
with him. Apparently, the Russi
} ruler enjoyed part in the hunt arral
/ ed in his honor, at which he prov
himself an enthusiastic huntsman. T