IN GERMANY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16429, 24 January 1919, Page 7

IN GERMANY.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) j (Renter's Telegrams.) j (Received January 23rd, 9.15 p.m.) BERNE, January 21. The following are the chief points in the draft of the new German Constitution, which has been issued from Berlin:—The empire comprises the present States and those seeking admission on a basis of self-determination. Foreign affairs, banks, exchanges, labour and land legislation, and aviation are among Imperial matters. All Germans shall have rights before law. AU privileges and advantages of birtli, social condition or creed arc abolished. The clause referring to religious freedom stipulates that none may be compelled to make known his or her religious convictions. The present distribution of landed property shall bo modified by a wido process of home colonisation. Details are not given. No legislation shall be permitted against the foreign languages spoken within the empire. The Reichstag shall be composed of two Chambers, namely, tho People's House and the States' House. In principle there shall bo one deputy to every million inhabitants. No one may be a member of both Chambers simultaneously. The legislative mandate for both Chambors shall be three years. Tho President of the Empire shall bo elected by the whole of the German, people for a term of seven years, and bo eligible for re-election. He shall represent the Empire internationally, appoint diplomatists, and have power to declare war in accordance with the laws of the Empire. The Reichstag must approve foreign treaties. The Government of the Empire shall be composed of a Chancellor and Ministers, all appointed by tho President. The Chancellor and Ministers shall retiro if the Chamber definitely votes no confidence in them. THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS. SPARTACtST INTERFERENCE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received January 23rd U. 35 p.m.) LONDON, January 21. The "Daily Telegraph's'' Berlin correspondent, writing on Sunday, says that polling is proceeding without* trouble. There is feverish excitement in political circles. It is difficult to forecast the result, but the prevailing belief is that tho Liborals and-Majority Socialists will carry the day, but possibly only by a small majority. The polling booths are generally established :tl public-houses and cinema palaces. Polling began at nine in the morning, whsii queues were already waiting. Later an armed soldier was posted at every booth, and machine-guns and field-guns placed at strategic points where disturbances, were likely.

The "Daily Chronicle's" Xmsterdim correspondent states that out of 1,400,000 electors in Berlin, 1,200,000 voted. A picturesque incident was tho procession of Sisters of the Catholic Lyceum, marching to register their votes. Spartacists qt Hamburg burned a number of ballot boxes, while they stole the boxes at Dinstaken, and attempted to prevent the voting at Kattowitz. > A Gorman wireless message says that Spartacists are active in the Rhineland, also at Hamburg and other ports. Th-ay frequently stopped the elections. There was a sharp conflict at Hamburg with, police in motor-cars, armed with ma-chine-guns. It is reported that several people wero killed and others wounded.