Evening star., 1946-12-01
100000 in Bavaria,
Greater Hesse Vote on
Constitutions Today
By the Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Nov. 30.-Neariy
1000, 900 German voters in Bavaria
arH Greater Hesse ballot tomorrow
on new democratic constitutions and
elect legislatures and in Greater
Hesse they will decide whether to
follow the leftward trend In Europe
sfnd adopt socialistic control of basic
industries.
The third state Of the American
occupied zone, Wuerttemberg- Baden
approved its new constitution and
elected its first parliament in 13
years last Sunday.
In Greater Hesse, biggest indus
trial state of the American zone, the
voters will be asked not only to
approve one-house chamber but
to vote on constitutional article
that calls for:
l. The socialization of mines (coal,
potash, ores, etc., iron and steel
plants, power industries and the
railroads, and
2. State supervision of the largest
bank and insurance companies.
O. X. on Socialism Expected.
The vote on Socialism will be re-
stricted to Greater Hesse. Bavaria S
proposed constitution-like that of
Wuerttemberg Baden - leaves the
door open for Socialism, but the
issue will not be fought out at the
polls in that strongly conservative
rural area.
American military government
observers predicted that Socialism
would be approved by the approx
mately 2,370,000 eligible voters of
Greater Hesse, but it probably would
be stiff fight for the Social Demo-
cratic Party, sponsors of the plan
and dominant party in the State.
If the voters approve the con-
stitution and also the socialization
plan, the program will go into ef-
feet. Immediately after the first
meeting of the State Legislature.
The plan provides that the owners
of enterprises taken over by the
State will continue In an interim
managerial position as State trus-
tees until detailed legislation is
enacted.
Noisy, last-minute political cam
paigning highlighted the pre-
election scene in Greater Hesse
and observers predicted a 10 per
cent turnout of voters.
New Totalitarian State Feared.
The Greater Hesse constitution
was opposed only by the right
wing Liberal Democrat Party which
declared that the plan threatened
Germany with new totalitarian
State"
In rural Bavaria only three
minor parties urged their support
ers to vote against the proposed
constitution for the largest State
of American-occupied Germany. g
The Communist Party, the Eco
nomic Reconstruction Party and
the moderately Conservative Free
Democratic Party plastered cities
like Munich and hundreds OF
towns and villages with signs say
ing, "Vote no-the Bavarian con-
stitution does not guarantee rights. .
Observers predicted, however, that
the Bavarian constitution would be
approved by a large vote from sup
porters of the conservative church,
backed Christian Social Union and
the left-of- center Social Democrats.
The two parties have the main sup
port of Bavaria's 4,500,000 eligible
voters.
Plan Calls for Houses.
Bavaria's plan for state govern
ment calls for two houses-a Land
tag (House of Representatives.
elected by the people, and Senate
of so men democratically elected by
various public and private corpora
tions, such as labor unions, cooper
atives, welfare organizations and
universities. The Senate will serve
In an advisory capacity but may
introduce bills in the Landtag.
The bills of rights of both Bavaria
and Greater Hesse guarantee free
dom of speech, press, assembly and
religion. Both make education free
and compulsory, although the Ba-
varia constitution provides that the
normal school will be confessional in
character Secular schools will be
organized only in Bavarian commu-