THE GERMAN ELECTIONS.

Mataura Ensign, 27 January 1912, Page 5

THE GERMAN ELECTIONS.

I SOCIALIST SUCCESSES. THE POTSDAM VICTORY. BT ELECTRIC TELEUEAI'H. COPYRIGHT. VKH I'NITKD I'lll',*.- •jv.Ji\uua Received January 27, 9.40 a.m. BERLIN, Jan. 26. i The Socialists victory at Potsdam I was mere notable because Herr Liebnicht, who was the successful candidate, was recently imprisoned for 18 months owing to being connected with the antimilatarists. A SIGNIFICANT ACT. Received Januarv 27, 9.40 a.m. BERLIN, Jan. 26. I The Municipal Council at Solinger created a sensation by refusing to participate in the Kaiser's birthday rejoicings owing to the Socialist victories. The election results are not yet complete, bui up to the present the Centre party has secured 93 seats, the Conser- j vatives 56, the Poles, Anti-Semites, Al- j satians, Hanoverians and Independents 48, the Opposition (Socialists) 110, the Liberals 14, and the Radicals 46. The National Liberals hold the balance of power. It is interesting to read the programme on which Socialists wooed the electors. In a brief review of the work of the expiring Reichstag they showed how the 1907 victory was used by the Centre -and Conservative parties to heavily increase the taxation for the poorer classes and restrict the rights of combination and other liberties. Then follows a statement of the objects of the party:—"To employ every means at present available to remedy existing evils, and secure higher conditions of life for the mass of the people"—and a programme of immediate reforms, the chief of which are as follows: The demonetisation of the State in all its relations. Adult suffrage. Reorganisation of the army on a civil basis for home defence only. Judicial reform. Absolute freedom of association. Institution of a Labor Ministry. Full religious freedom—disestablishment of the church, secular education. Free education in all grades. Reduction and final abolition of all indirect taxation, to be replaced by graduated income, property and inheritance taxes. Home colonisation by means of the development of agriculture. The manifesto ends with the significant couplet— Death to want and luxury! Work, bread and justice for all!