MILITARY DESPOTISM IN GERMANY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 122, 23 May 1908, Page 14

MILITARY DESPOTISM IN GERMANY.

An amazing proof of the tight hold militarism has on Germany was given in the Reichstag on the third reading of the military Estimates, when Privy Councillor .Paasche, ono of the leaders of the National Liberal party, and vice-president of the Imperial Legislature, formally apologised for the attack made on the Minister of War during the dobate on- the first reading of the Estimates at the beginning of the session in December. On that occasion Herr Paasche, speaking of the revelations made My Herr Harden in Die Zukunft, accused the military authorities of endeavouring to hush up tho whole affair, as well as shielding officers of noble birth from the consequences of their immoralities. Herr Paasche brought other' other charges of a similar nature against Lieut.-Goneral yon Einem, the Minister of War, and the military authorities iv the course of his speech, which at that time attracted considerable attention. Herr Paasche, in uttering these criticisms, was fulfilling his duty as a public man in exposing evils which, according to his convictions, produced disastrous consequences to tho country. Herr Paasche, however, ifl not only a Privy Councillor, the leader of a great political party, and vice-presi-dent of the ,Reichsta«f, but he is also a major of Landwehr, in which capacity he owes obedience to the military authorities, and is subject to the jurisdiction of the military courts of honour.

The Minister of War utilised his disciplinary power over a major of Reserves to compel the latter to withdraw the aocueations made from the rostrum of the Reichstag, and to offer a full apology for having uttered them. Lieut. -General yon Einem insisted that this apology should be given, and merely permitted Herr Paasche to choose his own time for making peace with his military superiors. Herr Paasche chose the third reading of the military Estimates as the most nuitable occasion, and offered his apology from the' rostrum of the Reichstag with tho same publicity as that with which he made the original charges. The incident is extremely significant, and throws a flood of light on the conditions existing in modern Germany. Evpry member of the Reichstag who is an officer of reserves or an officer on the retired list will henceforth understand that he dare not criticise the military administration without rcmdering himeelf liable to serious disciplinary consequences. — St. James's Budget.