Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
BY FRANK II. SIMONS.


IN coalitions has there been under
i taken a more complicated polit-
zeal experiment than is repre-
sented in the present German cabinet.
Headed by Hermann Mueller. the Social
Democratic chancellor, the new Ger
man government represents a combina-
ton of the representatives of parties
which have been unable to find a basis
for real and formal agreement and at
the same time have been unable to
avoid the patent necessity of uniting
to insure orderly administration in the
Reich.
The May election in Germany re-
suited in an unmistakable and very
far-reachirg defeat for the Nationalist
party. Just as clearly 1t was a de-
cisive victory for the Social Democrats.
But whereas in the old Reichstag the
Nationalist occupied ITO seats and in
the new not more than 86. while the
Social Democrats held and hold 131 and
154 seats. respectively each Of the two
houses numbered just under 500 men,
bers.
Union Is Inevitable.
Thus the Nationalist were not able
! before their defeat to form National
7 ist government based upon a majority
of the seats in the German Parliament
And even after victory. the Social
Democrats occupy not quite third of
the seats. Within and without Ger
many following the election it was
would supply the chief element in the
new cabinet, but 1t was equally clear
that the Socialists would have to make
a combination with several Of the other
considerable parties. and in particular
with the Catholic Center. the Peoples
party, which is the party Of big BUSH
ness and the Democratic party.
But this Is precisely what the Social
Democrats have been unable to do.
With all three of these parties they
are in agreement on the question of the
permanence of the Republic. The same
agreement extends to the subject OF
foreign policy, since all are equally
favorable to the conception Of Locarno
and united in willingness to see Strese-
mann continue as foreign minister.
Thus were foreign policy or the form
of government questions Of vital mo-
ment in Germany today. nothing would
be simpler than the formation OF
government based upon the coalition
of the parties supporting the Republic
and pOIlcy OF COICulatiOn.
But neither the form Of government
nor the character of foreign policy Is
a matter of any real debate in the
Germany which Is on the edge OF the
fourteenth anniversary of the outbreak
fairly completely disclosed the fact that
Germany was both Republican and
peaceful.
Break Over Schools.
hut Ii the various parties which
might have Joined with the Social
Democrats were in agreement with them
ON the foregoing questions, they we're
none of them in agreement with the
Socialists on questions OF domesuc
moment and present Importance, nor
we're they in agreement with eacn
other. On the contrary, while all three
of the Republican parties representing
the bourgeois elements in the popuia-
ton were In common agreement IN OPP
posing Socialist doctrines and pro-
Grams. the break between the Peoples
party and the Catholics over the school
question had been one OF the chief
causes of the collapse Of the Marx
cabinet.
The Peoples Party. as the party OF
big business expressed its natural
repugnance for alliances with the Soc
cialiSts by putting a high price upon
remuneration, It's leaders demanded
that Peoples Party members should be
admitted to the PruSSian cabinet,
which at present contains only So
cialists, Centrists and Democrats. But
neither the Socialists nor their. aSSo-
ciates we're prepared TO surrender
places and patronage in Prussia TO the
Peoples Party.
In the same way the long-standing
quarrel between the Central and the
Peoples Party over the schools. in
reality the quarrel between Protestant
and Catholic Germans, In which the
Peoples Party has inherited the role
Of the old National Liberals. a quarrel
in which the Peoples Party and the
Socialists stood together, effectualiy
blocked the way to union.
Try other Lineup.
In this situation Il was presently
suggested that the idea OF the great
coalition, that Is, of the Peoples,
Center, Democrats and Social Demo-
Gratis, should be abandoned and in
stead there should be q cabinet based
upon the old Weirnar bloc, which con-
sisted of the foregoing parties with
the Peoples lett out. ouCH COnbuA~
nation had made the republic and the
first republican cabinets. But untor-
tunately In the new Reichstag 1t would
have no real majority. as It's combined
strength would be but ass i'll House
of 4S9 and but 27l II the Bavarian
Catholic Party were also to give its
adherence.
Moreover, the Bavarian Catholic
Party was not in the least enthusiastic
for such q close union with the So
cialistS. while the Democrats, facing
extinction as a consequence of their
rapidly dwindling membership and
looking forward TO amalgamation with
the Peoples Party. were strongly OPP
posed to the exclusion OF the Peoples
Party. AS consequence, time and
again Mueller had TO admit failure
and in the end seemed destined 70 have
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