GERMANY: Im Reichstag

Throughout the week colorful personalities abounded in the Reichstag as concluding arguments for and against the Locarno Treaties drew to a close. Klara Zetkin, 68-year-old and rejuvenated* “Mother of German Communism,” arrived from Moscow for the occasion. On the Nationalist bench the aged Admiral von Tirpitz stroked his pendulous forked beard.

When Chancellor Luther entered to present the Government plea for the Locarno Treaties, he was greeted by the Communists with “stentorian grunts” and cries of “Here comes the representative of international capital!” In an effort to calm those around him, Foreign Minister Stresemann sat through his colleague’s speech with grimly folded arms. But it was only the

Centrist Deputies who listened with earnest attention to Chancellor Luther’s coldly logical arguments in favor of the Treaties.

The Government position was rehashed at length but without significant additions to all that has been said during the past eight weeks (TIME, Oct. 5 et seq.). Dr. Luther declared, for the 100th if not the 1,000th time, that the Allies have agreed and given evidence of their intention to ease up on the Rhineland, that Germany must sign the Treaties and enter the League of Nations in order to thrive in peace, and that in so doing she would not be pitting herself against Russia on the side of the Allies or giving up the possibility of obtaining future concessions from the Allies.

In conclusion, the Chancellor reiterated his solemn promise (TIME, Nov. 26) that the Cabinet would resign as soon as the Locarno Pacts should be signed at London, in order that President von Hindenburg may secure the formation of a new and, it is hoped, a stronger Government than the present one. It was only by making this promise that Dr. Luther secured the Socialists’ votes for the Treaties. They of course hope to be well represented in the new Cabinet.

Next day Chancellor Luther folded his arms while Foreign Minister Stresemann parried attacks by the Communists, the Nationalists and the ultra-reactionary Voelkische, stubborn faction of famed die-hard General von Ludendorff. At the conclusion of these forensic games an actual vote was hailed with relief by most of those present.

The final vote brought ratification for the Security Pact (300 to 174), and authorized the German Government to apply for admission to the League of Nations (278 to 183). In each case scattered deputies refrained from voting.

General rejoicing broke out on all hands, and a new era in the peace of Europe was widely heralded. The German diehards, however, at once set on foot a scheme to have the ratification so laboriously achieved declared invalid by the Supreme Court of the Reich. Their contentions are: 1) The Constitution of the Reich provides that the Reichstag shall determine whether or not Germany shall go to war, and can be changed only by an amendment requiring a two-thirds majority of the Reichstag; 2) The measure passed last week would make the League and not the Reichstag the chief factor in deciding whether Germany should goto war, and this measure was passed by only a “simple majority”; 3) Therefore,

In the opinion of the Nationalists, last week’s “victory” must be held abortive unless a constitutional amendment is passed making the Reichstag “legally subject” to the League; 4) Since the Nationalists have sufficient votes to block any such amendment, the League will not contain Germany.

While the die-hards prepared to put this square-headed logic to the test, President von Hindenburg signed the newly ratified bill as if they did not exist. It was confidently held by the Government that when the last legal hair has been split, the “simple majority vote” will stand.

*TiME, Oct. 19, chronicled a statement by M. Semashko, Soviet Commissar of Health, to the effect that he had “assisted at a successful rejuvenation operation performed upon Frau Zetkin.”