Evening star., 1925-03-31
VOTE IN GERMANY
HALF M0NARCH|AL
Election Shows Republic Far
From PopuIarized-But Old
Regime Not Wanted.
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
American authorities with personal
knowledge OF conditions in Germany
find in the reichs presiden till cleo
tious a significant reflection of sent-
ment on the burning question or re-
public versus monarchy. They show
that the republic Is supported by
only little more than half of the total
electorate. They indicate that almost
as large q portion of the population
looks with favor upon the possible
restoration of a monarchy. This sit
uation does not mean that so per cent
of the German people banker for the
return and the rule of the Hohenzol-
lerns. The day that the former
Kaiser according to his own me-
moirs) declined to commit suicide
by leading the beaten German army
in a last furious charge against the
allied front sealed the doom of his
dynasty. If Germany ever scraps the
republic and resumes the monarchisl !
system, II will be a constitutional
monarchy that Will be set up. and II
will not be a Hohenzollern who will
be placed at it's head. The German
republic Is not in present danger.
But its enemies are revealed to be
astonishingly large in number.
See Centrist Victory.
United States officials whose busi-
ness II is to keep tab on German
deVelopm expect that a member
of the Center (Roman Catholic) party
Will be elected president at the new
ballot on April 26. The Center can
didate, former Chancellor Dr. Marx,
ran third in the first election on
March %. His party, with a voting
strength of roundly 100000, holds
ha ho 10 nF ta
Now that the Socialists and Demo-
Gratis realize there is no chance of
electing their candidates, the eXpec-
tation is that they will combine with
the Center party and elect DR.. Marx.
Their united vote, If all three parties
stand fast as single democratic
group, will be sufficient to overthrow
the Nationalist -Monarchist party.
which polled the heaviest vote for DR..
Karl Jarres on the initial ballot.
The election of a monarchially in
clined president of Germany would
not mean the re-esta lishment of d
royal government at Berlin. 1t would
clearly demonstrate, however, as the
Jarres vote does. that the monarchial
ide ca is on the march--that after less
than seven years OF experiment the
Reich is tiring OF republicanism and
Neering toward the system on which
the German empire and its constitu-
ent states grew great and powerful.
"Bix Business" Vote.
The monarchial group which rolled
up the big Jarres vote for president
is by no means purely royalist-
militarist element. 1t consists to an
enormous extent of German big
business With some eminent eN-
ceptions, the captains. of finance and
;efa OF
only believe in the superiority of the
royalist system for Germany's re-
construction necessities and general
future, but il is so deeply ingraincd
in them that they cannot easily ac-
custom themselves to anything else.
To put it in terms that will be at
once Ineligible to the average
American. the republic is having as
hard time popularizing itself in
Germany as monarchy suddenly
would have in popularizing itself in
the United States.
Many Ex-Monarchs.
There are other factors bolstering
up the monarchial idea. In the first
place, there are 22 or 23 royal houses
and dynasties that have been unem-
ployed since November, 1918, includ-
ing kings, grand dukes and once
reigning princes. Each of these job
less ex-royalties, except the runaway
William III, is still on German soil,
inhabiting castles or estates allotted
by his former subjects, maintaining a
quasi-royal existence and enjoying a
quasi difference from the people who
formerly did him homage.
The ex-German crown prince rules
over semi court in Silesia. Ex-
Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria.
probably the outstanding monarchical
figure left in Germany, enjoys such
favor that were 1t not for the certain
objections of France. Bavarians would
probably crown him king tomorrow.
When Germany gets ready for con-
stitutional monarchy, Rupprechc Of
Bavaria and the eX-German crown
prince will be furious rivals for the
throne. All of these out-of-work roy
alties accept the republic with the
tongue in their cheeks. They dream
of the day of restoration. To the e&
tent that they dare, they work for it.
That they do not lack supporters and
sincere well wishers the recent presi-
Dental elections proved.
Outside of Germany there are
stanch monarchies which, in spirit
of fraternity and representation,
would not frown upon the re-estab-
lishment of German thrones. Russia,
Austria Hungary, Greece and Turkey
threw off the royal yoke, but in Great
Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden,
Denmark. Belgium, Italy, Jugoslavia,
Spain, Bulgaria and Rumania mon
archy is still enthroned and venerated.
German royalty is related by blood
ties to nearly all the rest of European
royalty. Europe constitutes a sort
of monarchical trade union. 1t dis
likes losing members. 1t welcomes
the return of old members and the
accession of new ones.
The influential body of university
professors and students in Germany
is almost as irreconcilable a mo-
narchical body as the old military
caste. They constitute one of the
royalist systems strongest props, as
they always have. The German higher
civil service, like the judiciary and
diplomacy, also contains thousands of
monarchists. Their sympathies are
suppressed, because they serve a re-
publican regime. but they are not
obliterated. They are only dormant.