GERMAN REFERENDUM

Northern Advocate, 21 June 1926, Page 4

GERMAN REFERENDUM

la the ex-Kaiser to be allowed to retain his fabulous wealth, or will he be deprived of the greater part of it? That is the question which the i people of Germany are at the moment called upon to decide at the ballot box. The result of the referendum will be of even greater importance to the nation than to the ex-Kaiser, for if it is in favour of dispossessing Wilhelm it will bring about a political crisis that will shake Germany. Whether the Government barque will be able successfully to negetiate the rapids of the next few days’ events has been the topic of anxious and excited con-

jecture in Germany with the approach of the referendum. The suggestion has been made that the Government has made the referendum a matter of Monarchy v. Republic, but Dr. Stresemaun has repudiated such a contention, pointing out that whereas the plebiscite was a move by Socialists and Communists in favour of dispossessing all former rulers without oompensation, the Government, on tho other hand, had prepared a compromise bill making a distinct difference between State and private property. To carry confiscation it will be necessary to obtain nineteen and a half million votes. Tho German Government is confident that this number of votes will not be secured, though it declares that should its calculation be falsified the consequences will be most disastrous, because President Himicnbufg and the Government will resign. Further, if. is stated that Federal States, notably Bavaria, will refuse to carry out confiscation, the result being chaos. Most people would like to see tho royal deserter and other ex-Eoynltios shorn of their wealth, but the principle involved in general confiscation is so far-rcaeh-ing as to make the average man hesitate before applying it to oven the: ex-Kaiser.