WORSE CONFUSION

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12008, 10 December 1924, Page 7

WORSE CONFUSION

GERMAN ELECTION RESULT PRESENT GOVERNMENT IN A greater minority. NO PARTY has a majority. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Austrnlinn an<i N. 7.. Cable lv«soni»ri«n I Received December 9. 7.35 p.m.) HEREIN, December 8. No party has a clear majority in the new Reichstag, and consequently the existing Government will carry on until the meeting of Parliament in January. Field-Marshal vori Ludendorff was reelected. Aust-nlian sttrt >".Z Cnhle Association (Received December 9. 9.35 n.m.) .LONDON. December 8. The “Daily Telegraph” correspondent in Berlin ‘says the polling leaves the Reichstag b; tuation almost ss ambiguous as before the dissolution. Apparently a permanent Government majority is impossible .without a coalition of tlie parties, which are as little qualified to lie down together as the lion and pho lamb. ■ . All hopes of reviving the old “Wirth Coalition.” of Centre Party, Democrats. and Socialists, have disappeared, lire present Cabinet cannot continue, as it is now more in a minority than before the election. Dr. Marx fnvours a greater coalition of the People's Party, plus tho Mirth followers, but this has always hitherto been imoosaible, as the People's Party, fundamentally, represents capital, while the Socialists represent /Labour. OOMMUNIST3 PLEASED. Both sides claim a victory. Probably the Communists alone are really pleased Their chief desire is .to see confusion and uncertainty, and this is likely to be even more marked in the new Reichstag than In the old, for the sobering influence of the ' Dawes report is no longer an issue. There will be endless Cabinet crisis, beginning with one of exceptional severity over the ■ formation of the Government.

STATE OF PARTIES

SOCIALISTS THE STRONGEST. REPUBLIC SAFE. By Telegraph.—Preso Assn. —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. BERLIN, December 8. The provisional 6tate qf parties after the German election is: Social Democrats 129 Nationalists .1....... IP4( Centre Party 67 People’s Party 30 Communists .................. 44 Democrats .;...i. 31 , Bavarian People’s Party 19^ Ludendorffists 14 Economics .: 10 Farmers 4 Hianoveriaris 4 Others 8 Compared with tho May election, the Socialists have gained 29 seats anil other parties 16. The Communists and the Ludendorff group have • each lost 18 seats.- - r - ■. Dr Marx (the Chancellor), Herr Stresemann, ,'and Admiral Von Tirpitz are among those re-elected.

REACTIONARIES BEATEN. ' Riuter*S Telegram. BERLIN, December 8. It is now clear that the Republic is victorious' over the forges of reaction and monarchism, and that the policy of the new Government will be one of conciliation and fulfilment, of 'the Treaty and the Dawes pbligations. The Social Democrats \ art the strongest party in the new Reichstag, with a probable gain of about 36 seats. It is possible that the ■ old so-called “Wirth Coalition,” composed of the Social Democrats the-German Democrats, and the Catholic Centre Party, With the support of various minor parties, will have a very small absolute majority over the Opposition, even if the latter includes the* German People’s Party, led by Dt Stresemann. >■ EXTREMISTS REJECTED. The: most significant feature of the elections is the complete collapse of the Ludendorffists, who' have gone over practically eh 1 masse to the German National Party, which is now the second strongest party in the House. The Communists tilso have lost considerably, chiefly rto the Social Democrats. They will- have about 45 seats, compared with 62 iti the old Reichstag. The Catholic Centre Party has maintained its position. 1 The German Democrats, tho German People’s Party, and the Bavarian People’s party have gained a number of seats. There are now three alternatives for the formation of a now Gpvernment: (1; A big Coalition of Social Democrats, the Germa'n People’s Party, the Centro Party, and the Democrats; (2) a “Wirth Coalition” ; (3) the continuance in office of the present Government under Dr Marx and Dr Strcsemafin, with the benevolent neutrality of the Social Democrats.