21 Parties

Aggravated by attempts to upset the Special Full Power Emergency Act of last October, President Ebert, onetime saddlemaker, dissolved the Reichstag, and called for new elections May 4.

Red deputies, in terror of arrest with the lapse of their parliamentary immunity, fled in all directions. Deputy Thomas cropped his radical locks Hindenburg style, but was recognized by the police and only escaped by hiding in a coal heap.

Nevertheless, of all 21 parties in the late Reichstag, the Communist Party is one of the few which is expected to gain seats in May. It formerly had only 15 out of 459. But in the last year many middle-of-the-road voters are said to have gone sharply to the reactionary right or Communistic left.

Chancellor Marx (member of the Catholic or Centre Party) will continue in office until May 4. He controls four middle parties and hopes to win again on the strength of having reduced unemployment and bettered foreign relations.

The Stinnes Industrialists seem to be betting double. Albert Voegler is expected to pick up through his "Liberal League" what Stresemann may lose in the National Peoples Party.

Karl Helfferich is active leader of the Nationalists. His motives are not clear. Ostensibly, however, he is a good Republican.

Precisely which of the 21 groups will coalesce to form a government after May 4, not even a German can foretell.