New Cabinet

The German Nationalist (Monarchist) party came to the end of its long and bitter struggle against Republican Germany last week, and definitely abandoned hope of restoring the Hohenzollerns. By a grim paradox this decision was made on the 68th birthday of Wilhelm II. The occasion was the formation of a new Cabinet by Chancellor Wilhelm Marx, whose old Cabinet resigned some weeks ago (TIME, Dec. 27). Chancellor Marx took into his new Cabinet four Nationalist ministers, after their party had acceded to the four following conditions:

1) explicit acceptance of the validity of the present Republican State;*

2) adherence to the League and the Locarno Pacts ;

3) acceptance of the principle of obtaining: evacuation of the Rhineland solely through a closer rapproachement with France ;

4) acceptance of a program of reform throughout the German Army which will insure its loyalty to the Republic.

As Wilhelm of Doom read these terms and knew that his onetime Nationalist supporters had accepted them, his birthday must have been bitter. With German tact, the Nationalists despatched to Doom individually hundreds of birthday presents and almost a thousand birthday baskets of flowers. At the same time they collectively pledged themselves to uphold the Republic against the Hohenzollerns.

What cause has produced this vital, epochal change?

Great Man? Last week revealed that if Old Paul von Hindenburg is not a great man he is a man with whom greatness abides. The German people have never doubted it--not though he seems "too old"; not though Herr Erich Ludendorff was supposed to be his "real brains"; not even though it has been said that as President he has been the ponderous wooden puppet of the Nationalists.

One by one their sneers have grown blunted. Old Paul is not "too old" it seems, for the many duties of a President. If Herr Ludendorff supplied his "War brains," President Hindenburg still possesses enough of his own for peace times. And last week he disproved the charge that he is the tool of the Nationalists by sending to Chancellor Marx a long letter on the basis of which the Nationalists laid aside their former prejudices and joined the Government.

Writing with a broad goose quill Old Paul von Hindenburg instructed Chancellor Marx as follows:

Hindenburg's Letter: "The Reich's foreign and domestic political situation demands a strong workable Government. A Government will be able to function more successfully if it is supported by a majority in the Reichstag.* The construction of such a majority through inclusion of the Left parties is for the present at least impossible. Efforts to create a Government supported only by the middle parties have failed.

"I therefore request you, Herr Chancellor, to undertake the construction of a Government on the basis of a majority of the middle class parties in the Reichstag with the most effective haste.

"At the same time I appeal to the Reichstag factions concerned to lay aside their personal doubts and differences in the interest of the Fatherland, to unite in collaboration under your leadership and to rally behind the Government which is resolved to work, not for or against individual parties, but faithful to the Constitution for the good of the Fatherland."

Significance. Statesmen deemed that the Herr President deserved all praise for thus squarely putting up to his own Nationalist friends the issue of joining the Government at the price of supporting the Republic. This was an act of genuine statesmanship, of greatness, yet it must be remembered that many another German statesman prepared the ground for the bold step which the Herr President took, and forced the Nationalists to take last week.

Foreign Minister Stresemann, and Dr. Luther in his long terms as Finance Minister and sometimes Chancellor, have built up the political and financial base upon which the new Republic squarely rests. Dr. Luther is out of politics at present, was elected a Krupp director last week. But Dr. Stresemann continues at the Foreign Office. So does Dr. Gessler, Minister of Defense since 1920, a prodigious record. It is these statesmen of the middle parties, the "Little Coalition" men, who have wrought the ship of the Republic so strong that last week the Nationalists saw no option but to climb aboard.

The New Cabinet, as presented to President Hindenburg last week, though still requiring to be confirmed in office by the Reichstag:

Chancellor and Minister of Occupied Areas--Dr. WILHELM MARX (Centrist).

Vice Chancellor and Minister of the Interior--Dr. OSKAR HERGT (German Nationalist).

Foreign Minister--Dr. GUSTAV STRESEMANN (People's Party).

Finance Minister--Herr KOEHLER (Centrist).

Minister of Economics--Dr. JULIUS CURTICS (People's Party).

Minister of Labor--Dr. HEINRICH BRAUNS (Centrist).

Minister of Justice--WALTHER GRAEF (German Nationalist).

Minister of Defense--Dr. OTTO GESSLER (Independent).*

Minister of Posts and Telegraphs--Dr. WALTHER SCHAETZEL (Bavarian People's Party).

Minister of Communications--Dr. WILHELM KOCH (German Nationalist).

Minister of Agriculture and Food--MARTIN SCHIELE (German Nationalist).

*Since acceptance of this condition was a complete about face for the Nationalists, they were allowed to weasel their acceptance for electioneering purposes by declaring that although they accept the German Republic de facto they do not admit the validity de jure of the Weimar Constitution on which it rests.

*All recent German Cabinets have not had a majority; but have been of the "Little Coalition" type, steering unstably between a strong Right and a strong Left, neither of which was quite strong enough to hold the Government itself.

*Formerly a Democrat, he resigned from his party last week, since it had come to oppose his consistent championship of "the military" against "the politicians," an attitude which has won him the strong support of Old Soldier von Hindenburg.