DRAFT OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17478, 24 January 1919, Page 5

DRAFT OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

(Reuter.) Received January 23, 9.15 p.m BERNE, January 21

The following are the chief points in the draft of the new German constitution which has been> issued from Berlin. The Empire comprises the present States of those seeking admission on the! basis of the self-da-termination of foreign affairs. The banks, and exchanges, labour and land legislation, and aviation, are among Imperial matters. All Germans are to have rights before law. All privileges and advantages of birth, social condition, or creed, are abolished. A clause referring to religions freedom stipulates that none may be compelled to make known his or her religious convictions. The present distribution of landed property shall be modified by a wide process of home colonisation,, the details of which are not given. No legislation shall be permitted against foreign languages spoken within the empire. The Reichstag •shall be composed of two chambers namely, the People's and^the State's. In principle there shall \e one deputy to every million inhabitants. No one may be a member of both Chambers simultaneously. The legislative mandate for both Chambers shall be three years. The President of the Empire shall be elected by the whole of the German people for a term of seven years, and shall be eligible for re-election. He shall represent the Empire internationally, shall appoint diplomatists, and have power to declare war in accordance with the laws of the Empire. ; The Reichstag must approve pi foreign treaties. The Government and the Empire shall be composed of a Chancellor and Ministers, all of whom shall be appointed by the President. The Chancellor and Ministers should retire if the Chamber definitely votes no confidence in them.