File No. 862.00/95
The Minister in Denmark (Egan) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12 p.m.]
847. The immediate result of the second Crown Council is the following proclamation printed in the official Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, July 12: [Page 127]
His Majesty the King has issued the following edict directed to the President of the Ministers:
As a result of a report made to me by my Ministers I herewith make the following addition to my edict of April 7 of this year. The draft of the law with reference to change in the parliamentary election laws which is to be placed before the Prussian Diet for its decision shall be based on the principle of equal suffrage. The proposition is in any event to be brought forward for discussion early enough to permit the new law to be in force at the time of the next election.
Newspaper then comments as follows: “The foregoing edict entirely clears up the question of the Prussian election laws.”
The above was made public too late for the papers of the 12th to express any very definite opinions as to what effect the edict would have in quieting the present storm. Satisfaction that something has been accomplished is expressed by all.
Berliner Tageblatt says:
The proclamation makes it clear that the Kaiser has approved of the position taken by the Chancellor reforming the Prussian election laws. The satisfaction over what has occurred is somewhat cooled by wording of the edict. The question as to when this is to be effected is not very clearly stated. And nothing is definitely fixed for the autumn and the law may not perhaps become a reality until after peace is declared. Not a word is spoken regarding the political formation of the Empire, the participation of the people’s representatives in the Government and their responsibility thereto.
Vorwärts, July 12, had apparently only time to publish the proclamation and then to say that this signifies for all Germany the first decisive step towards democracy.