File No. 763.72/3562
The Minister in Sweden ( Morris ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 21, 4 a.m.]
241. Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm, March 19, reports stormy budget debate in German Parliament March 15 and quoting Berliner Tageblatt says it is evident that paper did not dare quote worst Hoffmann’s (Social Labor Party) statements who said the wealthy have meat, pork fat; Assistant Secretary of State Göppert has stored up great quantities sausage; that directors and managers were unjustly favored but the women got nothing at all. We are now told they were only samples, nice samples indeed, of 96 kilograms. In certain parts of Germany one finds the meat dishes on menus but the masses suffer, consequently smallpox gaining rapidly. According to Vienna newspaper reports 30,000 cases smallpox northern Germany. Social Democratic Party beaten in Potsdam. The 5,000 votes for Mehring are peace votes. They protest against further annihilation of humanity. It is maintained absurd fanatic politics [Page 75] have brought Germany into dishonor; annexation is criminal (called to order); our submarine warfare is contrary to all international law. At this point the speaker asked the House if it wished to listen to more and as only the two Social Democratic groups and Poles rose Hoffmann was not allowed to go on. Minister of Agriculture said that Hoffmann was not a Prussian representative of the people but a representative of the Entente (great excitement and cries of order). Minister for Foreign Affairs continued that the speaker’s remarks were much to be regretted and that the Chancellor’s enemies must even admit that he was honestly and seriously striving to fulfil tasks given him. Military absolutism in the true meaning of the word had made Prussia and Germany great. Now more than ever Germany must unite around the only goal to bring war to victorious close. The Minister then spoke of the matter of the sausage (no particulars printed). Von Mizerski (Polish) said his party could not accept budget as it called for appropriation to oppose Poles in the east. Nissen (Danish) made similar statement as budget opposed Danes in North Schleswig.