REFERENDUM IN GERMANY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 22 June 1926, Page 7

REFERENDUM IN GERMANY.

Fate Of ex-Ruler’s

Property.

DEFEAT OF EXPROPRIATION PROPOSAL.

By Coble —Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received June 21, 7.15 p.mA BERLIN, June 21. Ex-Kaiser Wilhelm, at Doom, sat up until two o’clock in tlio morning to hear the latest results of the referendum telephoned from Berlin. Tlio public of Germany learnt the progress of the voting by means of electric sky signs, also special issues of the newspapers every half hour till it was at midnight that expropriation had been defeated. Heavy rain damped the spirits of the rival demonstrators, but did not materially decrease tho voting. The Communists and Socialists loft nothing to chance. Voters who could not walk were carried to the polls on stretchers. There was a reign of terrorism in many country districts, however. Monarchists’ agents attending tlio booths, and taking down 1 the names of voters and openly stating they would bo severely dealt with later. The woif.t disturbances were at Ammendorf near Halle, where in a free fight between the Communists and Radicals, shots were fifed, and twenty were injured.

BIG SUM INVOLVED. TWENTY MILLION “AYES” REQUIRED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. , BERLIN, June 20. Tlie financial fate of the Holienzollerns and nineteen other German dynasties will' be decided to-day. Property valued at £200,000,000 is at stake. ’Twenty million ayes will be needed if Wilhelm and tlie other s .are to be deprived of their patrimonies. It is expected that the general result of the voting will.be known at midnight, but the formal proclamation of tlie exact figures will not be possible for weeks, as the voters in 68,000 centres must he checked. The plebiscite will cost the Reichstag £75,000. Tlie propaganda on both sides is becoming more vigorous hourly-. A demonstration in Berlin. presented a, terrible sight, when thousands of war victims were wheeled iii handcarts or limped on crutches, accompanied by giant megaphones chanting:. “Not a penny for tlie princes.”