Funereal Jubilation

Last week was celebrated throughout the Reich "Constitution Day," being the sixth anniversary of the promulgation of the Weimar (Republican) Constitution.

In Berlin dense crowds of people thronged about the Reichstag. In other parts of the city few people jubilated; this was partly due to the fact that Constitution Day is not a public holiday. Flags were few, apparently because the celebration did not call for the monarchist emblem.

The big event of the day occurred in the Reichstag, where a Monarchist coalition supports its Cabinet. The interior of the Chamber was decorated with flowers by Monarchist Minister of Interior Schiele. President von Hindenburg was ensconced in a chair in the Diplomatic Gallery. To one side was Jacob Gould Schurman, U. S. Ambassador. On the floor of the Chamber were perfumed ladies, masses of Monarchists, some Republicans, no Communists.

It seemed extraordinary that the Monarchists should attend the official celebration of the German Republic's sixth birthday. But was not sphinx-faced Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg present? Was not he President of the German Republic? Was not he also a staunch Monarchist? The answer was in a gutteral German affirmative. Moreover, since Monarchists assume that President von Hindenburg has taken the oath of allegiance to the Republic only in order to serve the Fatherland and not because he has renounced Monarchism, they evidently deemed it highly proper for them to attend with their chief. But enthusiastic they could not be.

The ceremony began with a rendition of Brahms' mournful First Symphony, played by the Philharmonic Orchestra. This over, Prof. Platz of Bonn University acted as public orator, skilfully avoided use of the word "republic." He declared that the "outside world still listens keenly when it hears the name of Weimar, although it is not thoroughly convinced when the Constitution of Weimar is mentioned." The Constitution, he added, is "holding a middle ground between Communism in the East and individualism in the West. "We must," said he, "emancipate ourselves from this mad tendency to permit our national life to become Americanized ; we must find our way back to the German soul."

Another lugubrious Brahms symphony was played, Chancellor Hans Luther, who was present with the entire Cabinet, stood up. There was no cheering. He made a few brief references to parliamentary work and concluded the "depressing" ceremony by calling for "hochs" for the Republic. President von Hindenburg led the cheering, which was restrained and unreal.

Said a Deputy, after the President had gone to the Konigsplatz to review some troops: "If we had music like that during the debates, would it perhaps soothe the savage breasts of the Communists ?"

Outside the people cheered gladly, warmly and with spirit in startling contrast to the tardy efforts in the Reichstag ceremony. But even at this an observer was moved to remark: "One wonders, gazing upward, at the black, white and red standard of the German Army sharing honors on the historic Konigsplatz with the black, red and gold flag of the republic whether it was not the soldiers' fatherland and their wartime leader who were being cheered instead of the Republican Constitution."