Cabinet Crisis

The Cabinet crisis (TIME, Oct. 13 et seq.) which precipitated the recent election (TIME, Dec. 15) again became acute.

Chancellor Wilhelm Marx resigned. President Friedrich Ebert accepted the resignation; but it was not known whom he would ask to form a new government. It was generally assumed that his choice would be Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann.

The situation was that the combined Centrists and Socialists were not strong enough to form a government without the aid of the German People's Party, led by Herr Stresemann. The latter supported the Monarchists ; but their combined strength made them clearly dependent upon the Centrists of Dr. Marx for a majority. The Chancellor, however, declined to support any Monarchist combination. The deadlock was complete.

A most extraordinary comment on the situation came from Maximilian Harden, ardent Republican and fervent hater of the ex-Kaiser. Said he: "The writer is not Monarchist; but as a believer in democracy he must say that it is poor sportsmanship for a supposedly democratic nation to attempt to suppress the successful Party, however distasteful it may be. The Nationalists triumphed in May and again this month, despite all the organized powers of officials; and they are entitled to their share in the responsibilities of the new Government."