Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
GERMAN CABINETPRESENTS
PARADOX OF PARTY LINES
Political Creeds Discarded by Mueller
Coalition Under Necessity for Reach
ing Working Agreement.

or oppose the new cabinet, as IL chose.
Mueller would preside as a German,
not as Socialist, and Stresemann as
statesman, not as a leader of the
Peoples Party. And, once this little
device was hit upon, all difficulties
disappeared, Mueller cabinet made its
bow, was accepted by the Reichstag
and went about its business assured Of
period Of calm by the Summer vaca-
ton in the Parliament. And by the
time the Reichstag had reaSsembled
there Is general hope, II not expecta-
ton, that the eminent personalities
will have been able to hammer out q
platform on which the parties can
follow their leaders into the combina-
ton. which would then be in fact a
grand coalition.
All of this little comedy serves TO
demonstrate very clearly the wholly
fluid and chaotic condition of German
domestic politics The Bourgeois parties
are Just as naturally foes Of the So
cialiSts as the Natiorelists. but precisely
as long as the NatienaliSts continue to
put the restoration of the monarchy
and the return TO aggressive foreign
policies at the top of their list, no union
with them Is possible for the Bourgeois
parties, who perceive that the price of
the restoration of Germany Is that her
government shall be republic and her
purposes peaceful.
Economics Is Key.
The natural division in Germany to-
day is between the conservative and
radical elements, which approach the
great economic and social problems Of
the present hour from their two diff
cforNdf1nir1fe TfN0CfHNrHA
tariff, both as they affect industry and
agriculture, are pressing for answer and
provide natural basis for party divi-
sion. On domestic issues there Is pat
emily no real ground for political as
ISOLATION between the mine owner and
the mine worker. The fact that both
happen to agree on the form Of govern
ment does not make easy or perhaps
possible an agreement upon hours Of
labor. rates of wages, etc.
But every sensible business man In
Germany. like every sensible working
man, perceives that the overthrow Of
the republic and the launching Of
new campaign of provocation directed
against France in particular and the
world in general would be fatal to the
economic interests of the worker and
owner alike. And the Nationalist so
far continues to insist that nothing is
possible in Germany until 1t has been
restored to a monarchial control and
has reafirmed its adherence to pre-war
methods in foreign affairs
The really and normally conservative
business man in Germany has. then, a
fairly poor choice. He can march with
the Nationalist. who shares his in
stiuctive hostility to socialism. but this
win land him IN hot water abroad and
not impossibly In civil war at home.
He can march with the Socialist and
this viii insure peace ct home and
abroad, but 1t viii also compel him to
accept principles and adopt policies IA
conformity with that Socialist doctrine
which he believes calculated 70 wreck
industrial prosperity
In this situation the business man
tries first one combination and then the
other, seeking TO get the good out of
each and avoid the evil. That is why
business went with the Nationalist IN
the formation Of the MARI cabinet,
which recently collapsed. But on trial,
1t was forced to accept the fast that In
their present state of mind the Nation
alists were quite impossible. Now with
equal lack Of enthusiasm Il is trying
an experiment in cooperation with the
other extreme.
Business Hesitates.
But nothing suggests that the Social
lists win be more willing than the Ma
tionalists to waive their principles or
abandon their programs. As conse-
quence. business, the naturally conserv-
ative element, has hesitated In recent
days and the parties which express
its views have hung back and delayed
the form fi0VN NJ q Rahfx,at That a.,
the end, explains a compromise. which
Utilities leaders but leaves their parties
untranmeled
1t is also the reason why the present
Mueller cabinet is hardly likely to have
longer life or more harmonious his
tory than the last Marx cabinet, which
collapsed with the mutual consent of
all component elements. What q ma
jority OF Germans obviously desire Il q
political coalition which can insure
peace and reconciliation abroad and
conservative legislative and adminiStra-
tive control at home. But so far such
q combination has been impossible. be-
cause without the Nationalist at one
government Is possible.
Now We are TO have the experiment
made by people instead OF parties. The
cabinet OF personalities, nominally re-
leased from all party restraints, viii
try to function. But given the disci-
pline of the Socialist party and the an
moving criticism certain to be directed
at Ii by the Communists, one may cues
ton how far Mueller will be able 10 get
in company with his Bourgeois and
business colleagues before his own
home front begins to crumble. Social
democrat as he Is, Hermann Mueller may
not impoSSibly have reason in the sue
ceediug months 70 feel a certain meas
IRE of envy for MuSSoiini, who Is both
his cabinet and all the parties neces-
sary to his survival, and to appreciate
the colossal difference between cabi-
net of personalities and cabinet Of q
personality.