DICTATORSHIP MAY COME IN GERMANY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19035, 2 April 1930, Page 1

DICTATORSHIP MAY COME IN GERMANY.

CABINET TAKES NEW OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) BERLIN, April 1. A remarkable change in the form of the oath of allegiance to the German Republic was initiated when the new Cabinet took the oath in the presence of Marshal von Flindenburg at the Presidential Palace. The new oath reads: “I pledge myself to devote all my power to the welfare of the German people, the constitution and the law, to fulfil my duties conscientiously, and to conduct my business impartially with justice to every person.” The earlier oath read: “I pledge my loyalty to the constitution, obedience to the laws, and conscientious fulfilment of my official duties.” The change of the oath, especially the reference to the welfare of the German people, is held to mean that the Cabinet can only count upon a precarious majority in the Reichstag, and will not hesitate to resort to dictatorial methods if necessary.

Herr Treviranus, Minister of Occupied Territories, stated that the Cabinet was ready to collaborate with the Reichstag, but could not allow votes ol no-confidence, and would not allow parliamentary defeats to interfere with the fulfilment of their duty. He also referred to the readiness of the Cabinet to resort to Article XLVIII of the Constitution, which permits the President to grant a member of the Cabinet dictatorial powers. It is manifest that the Cabinet must be defeated in the Reichstag unless it obtains the support of some of the sixty-five Nationalist deputies, as otherwise it is in a minority of eleven, having only 207 votes compared with 21S of the Communists, Socialists and Fascists in opposition.