DICTATORSHIP LOOMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 937, 2 April 1930, Page 9

DICTATORSHIP LOOMS

GERMAN CABINET MAY DEFY" REICHSTAG NEW ALLEGIANCE OATH United P. A.—By Telegraph—Copyright BERLIN, Tuesday. A remarkable hange in the form of the oath of allegiance to the German Republic was initiated when the new Cabinet was sworn in yesterday in the presence of President Hindenburg at the Presidential Palace. The new oath is: “J myself to devote all my power to the welfare of the German people, Constitutior and law, and to fulfil my duties conscientiously and conduct my business impartially, with justice to every person.” The former oath was: “I pledge my loyalty to Const.” "tion, obedience to the laws and conscientious fulfilment of my official duties.” The change in the oath, especially the reference to tho welfare of the German people, is held to that the Cabinet can only count on a precarious majority in the Reichstag and will not hesitate to resort to dictatorial methods if necessary. POWERS OF CABINET Herr Treviranus. Minister for Occupied Territories, says the Cabinet is ready to collaborate with the Reichstag, but cannot allow votes of noconfidence. Nor will it allow Parliamentary defeats to interfere with the fulfilment of its duty. The Minister also referred to the readiness of the Cabinet to resort to Article 48 of the Constitution, which permits the President to grant a member of the Cabinet dictatorial powers. It is mr- ifest that the Government must be defeated in the Reichstag unless it obtains the support of some of the 65 Nationalist members. Otherwise it wil 1 be in a minority of 11 with only 207 votes compared with the 218 Communists, Socialists, and Fascists in the Opposition.