Evening star., 1922-11-15
Dissatisfaction With Repara.
tions Policy at Root Of Ger
man Shake-Up.
NON-PARTY IDEA LOOMS
IN new UNDERTAKING
President Faces Confusion in At.
tempting Appointment Of New
Ministers.
I;y the Associated Press.


man cabinet. headed by Chancellor
Nirth, has fallen. The ministerial res
ignations, filed last night. were pre-
cipitated by the decision of the united
socialists not to participate in a coali-
ton ministry which included members
Of the German peoples party. But the
friends of Chancellor Wirth were no,
ohlivious of the feeling that he had
outlived his usefulness and now has
become a victim of a policy of inde.
cision and inactivity which found Its
elimination in the governments fail
ure to make a practical arrangement
with the allied reparations commits
sion during the course of it's recent
visit to Berlin.
Ever since the assassination OF For.
eign Minister Rathenau the chancellor
has been described as a man who ap-
parently possessed no inspiration. nc
initiative. This attitude gave added
weight to the assertion that the late
foreign minister was Wirth's inspira-
ton and the force which urged him on
With the passing of DR.. Rathenau
the chancellor visibly lost influence
with his cabinet colleagues. AS a re-
suit the support given his policy OF
fulfllment" diminished day by day
He admitted the collapse of this policy
last summer. when he announced that
the governments slogan had become:
Bread first, then reparations.
Undermining Causes.
Foreign criticism of the alleged
weakness of the cabinet. emanating
from London, as well as Berlin. dur
ing the last few days. contributed to
undermining the chancellor's position,
even in the ranks of the coalition
party. His belated espousal OF the
peoples party as a necessary adjunct
to the government definitely alienated
the support he had been receiving
from the socialists.
Ever ssince the assassination OF DR..
Rathenau, the chaHeelor has been OBJ:
sessed with fear for his personal
safety. During the last few months
heavy guard Of plainclothes men ma
. constantly surrounded him. :,
Chancellor Wirth's efforts to extend
the government coalition to include
the German peoples party really
foundered on the unrelenting an
,agonism Of the united socialists to
any participation in cabinet IN
"
also would be represented.
The vote which finally preclp1tated
the crisis came last night, the So
cialists in the reichstag deciding oy
sion Of the coalition to include the
party of the industrialists.
Throughout the day there was nope
that a truce might be effected, es-
pecially in view of the governments
new reparations proposals: Which h
~ he Ca
included four socialists. Besides. the
proposal approved several of the de-
mands nut forth by the socialists IN
connection with the program for in
ternal financial and economic re.
forms. This was particularly true OF
tba nroposal to stabilize the currency
through the aid of the Reichsbanks
gold reserve.
Saw Hope In Note.
Chancellor Wirth had hoped that
his new reparations note would con-
stitute the rallying point for an en-
largement in the government coah-
ton. especially as 1t had the ap-
proval of the clericals. democrats and
the peoples parties. Even the efforts
of president Ebert to persuade his
party friends to continue in the gov
ernment have been unavailing.
The procedure of the radicals last
night In bringing to a vote their stand
on the coalition ministry, which would
include representatives Of the Ger
man peoples party. was viewed who'll
ly as a tactical maneuver calculated
10 impress the radical voters. who
fave been told by their leaders and
their press for months past that Off.
cial alliance with the industrialtStS
party was unthinkable.
Throughout Monday and Tuesday
parties comprising the radical wing
stiffened their opposition to the pro-
posed extension of the government,
and the deciding vote was pushed
through after Chancellor Wirth had
requested the party leaders to hasten
that the situation demanded immedi-
ate clarity AS soon as the vote had
heen taken by the united socialists
the chancellor notified the president
Today the president will undertake
the first steps toward the appoint
ment Of a new cabinet. During the
night the situation was one OF utter
confusion. A number of solutions OF
the crisis already have been suggest
ed. One Is for cabinet of "busi-
ness men without party Affiliations"
while another probability concerns
itself with ministry composed only
rf The bourgeoisie party. 1t Is un-
certain whether Wirth again will be
commissioned to constitute a new
ministry.
Editors Favor Change.
wirth's further availability as
chancellor is strongly doubted by a
large section of the press. as well as
by many rechstag leaders. They be-
lieve that the circumstances under
which the crisis was precipitated. to-
gether with the present state of the
reparations negotiations, demand as
the head of the cabinet a man unfet-
tered by the failure of the govern
ment's previous policies.
In all, President Ebert is confront
ed with one of the most critical prob
LENS of his administration, especially
in view of his party affiliations.
Among the solutions suggested to-
day the proposition for a cabinet Of
non-partisan experts seemed most
favored. although the shortage Of
available candidates who would
eventually command the confidence of
the reichstag was admitted on all
sides. It is also argued that purely
bourgeois cabinet would be short
lived, in view of socialist opposition
in the reichstag, which would be