HERR EBERT DEAD

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12076, 2 March 1925, Page 8

HERR EBERT DEAD

PRESIDENT 0F CERMANY

FIRST HEAD OF THE REPUBLIC ' COLLAPSES SUDDENLY. ' - GREAT SHOCK TO NATION. . • Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright Reuter’s Telegram. (Received’March I, 5.5 p.m.) BERLIN, February 28. President Ebert is dead. The news came as a great shock to: the people, in view of the previous night’s that his condition ‘ was improving. A -sudden change for the due to the aggravation of peritonitis, - occurred- at five o’clock this morning,'. at the, moment , when the SitienVs vitality was at the lowest ebb. e>relapsed into a coma; and never regained consciousness. His wife. and children, and the Secretary of State, Dr Meisener, . were at his bedside. ' EVENTS OF 1918. ■Two days before the Armistice in 1918,. the . Kaiser abdicated and the Government of Germany was taken over by. the Council of People’s Commissioners in Berlin. The' council die-: solved the Imperial Parliament, and made, arrangements for summoning a National Assembly which would be fully representative - of the people. All Germans, men and women, of more than. 20 years of age were eligible to vote-at the elections; which were held in January, 1919. The National Assembly was summoned to meet at Weimar iq Feb-ruarjrj-and on February 11th it'elected Herr Friedrich Ebert the first President of the", German Republic. A DEMOCRATIC LEADER. ■ -' Herr Ebert was the sou of a - master tailor, : and a Social Democrat in politics- He edited the party’s journal in 1892,-and was one of the leaders of the democratic movement which’ Caused the -Kaiser much anxiety in-the years -immediately prior to the war* In 1913 he was elected to the Reichstag. Two of his five .children were killed in', the war. BULWARK OF REPUBLIC. From tie date of his ejection, to the Presidency Herr Ebert wasf oiib of the strongest assets of the Republic, and in its: darkest days he appeared almost as its; only asset. His genuine regard for the interests of his' ranintry gained him -the respect of, the bitterest opponents .-of, the Republic, and increased hie command of the affections of the people. Much ; of his time*was spent in,endeavours to find, a party which would be' republican in sympathy’- and yet, strong enough to hold a majority in-the Refichetag. and’ the inoessant work' which -fell to nia jut is believed to have - undermined his health.. He Was 55, years of age. ' ••• •• •- • 'Thodead President was Ao.hgve held offioe until. June 30th of,, this .. year. Futuro.Presidents will be elected by the direct voto of all the people,., in' a manner’ mUch the same as that in’ which the President of the United States is elected.