The Cabinet

When a crisis is protracted for an indefinite time, it becomes an accepted event without critical moment. In Germany, there has existed a Cabinet crisis for many months (TIME, Oct. 13, et seq.) : but the continuance of this state of affairs has caused the German people to regard it as a perfectly ordinary event. In point of fact, whether or no Chancellor Marx succeeds in forming a

Cabinet from the ranks of the present Reichstag is immaterial; the so-called crisis is bound to continue, for it will be dependent for its existence on the Right and then on the Left as occasion demands.

The position is that the Reichstag contains 493 members, 247 of whom would form a bare majority. The Right Block commands only 216 votes; the Left Block, including the Centre Party, but excluding the Communists, has only 232 votes. A majority Cabinet is therefore impossible unless the Centre Party (69 members) joins the Right, or the German People's Party (51 members) joins the Left; but this neither Party will do.

President Friedrich Ebert nevertheless requested Chancellor Marx to make a last effort to form a majority Government. The Chancellor tried, failed. The President then asked the Chancellor to form a so-called nonparty Cabinet--a Cabinet of all the parties except the Communists. The Chancellor began to try. It was assumed that the present Cabinet with its four vacancies would be kept in power, but it was not known who would fill the vacancies.