[Forum Game] - Crisis in the Reichstag

I must admit I am disappointed that no effort was made to engage the royal party on reform prior to the publication of this bill. I had openly declared my willingness to concede powers to parliament, and hoped to open a dialogue with the Chancellor on this issue. But our opinion was never sought. I am also somewhat perturbed that we are commencing the arduous process of constitutional overhaul at a time of war, with our position in Belgium tenuous and our relations fragile. The abrupt termination of our alliance with the United Kingdom is evidence of the poor timing of this proposal. Every historical instance of parliamentary turmoil has been matched by military disaster.

Despite this, I do not have significant qualms with the proposal. It has always been my intention to divest political power to the Chancellor and parliament, leaving the monarchy as a bulwark of the constitution and army. I am disturbed, however, that this proposed bill would severe the historical ties of the monarchy and the military - and moreover, would subject the army to the shackles of civilian bureaucracy. Is there a more dangerous fate for Germany than that of the South American states, doomed to endless civil war by the political manipulation of the armed forces? Is the shadow of the Andes soon to loom long over Berlin?

I am an enthusiast of reform and more than willing to release powers to parliament. But this process must be a dialogue, not a monologue. I ask the Chancellor to withdraw his current proposal for now, so that we may discuss the concessions His Majesty is ready to make. He is prepared to accept most of the conditions of this bill. Were Herr von Wettin to do this, then His Majesty and myself would firmly support any amended proposal presented to the Reichstag.

Otherwise, we may find ourselves discussing the fineries of constructional governance while the French encircle Berlin.

- His Royal Highness, August Wilhelm of Prussia, Prince Regent

The recent set backs caused by the Foolish decision of our Kaiser to hold elections have cost us dear. I suggest we swiftly Sign a White Peace deal with the French otherwise there could be disaster for the German State. We must pray the French don't see weakness and press on. We can't continue on with a war like this. The German and French People Bleed in this war and it must end.

The grim tides from England have begat a flood; the British are withdrawing, Brussels has surrendered and our armies are retreating towards the Rhine. This is our Götterdämmerung. There can be no more bickering between the Palace and parliament; no more quibbling in the Reichstag. The fate of the German Nation hangs in the balance. In light of this national emergency, all thoughts - and all words - must be directed towards the conduct of the war. The French shall settle for no peace. They began this war, and they shall see it to the end. The German Nation could only hope to buy peace with the blood of its fallen soldiers and the yielded territory of its conquests. We would be forced back to the borders of 1870, left with nothing but five million fewer men than we had before.

In light of the collapse of the front, I am now issuing an order for mandatory general conscription. Every able-bodied man must stand along the Rhine and prepare to defend the fatherland. If Elsass-Lothringen falls, and the French bridge the Rhine and advance into the Ruhr, the industrial heartland of the German Nation shall fall into enemy hands. We could not possibly prevail in such a scenario. The line must be held. All available men must be raised, brought into the army and set along the river. We shall repel the French invaders, just as we cast Napoleon back into Paris and sent the Russians scuttering across the Oder.

General von Falkenhayn, I suggest you bring whatever tactical agenda you had in mind into action sooner rather than later.

- His Royal Highness, August Wilhelm of Prussia, Prince Regent

I do offer my support for both these bills, but I also wish to echo the regent's concerns and ask if their enaction can be stayed until the war is ended; I fear such a drastic change in government in the midst of war could to even more instability.

I will not withdraw the amendment from the Reichstag. This legislation will make our nation more stable in the long run. I will, however, formally apologise to the Regent and the Kaiser for not consulting them earlier in this process and delay the enactment of the amendments until after the war is over.

I also hope to give the General Staff move freedom in their actions and hope the Cheif of the General Staff can communicate their new plans with the Palace, me and other key individuals as soon as posible. I hope the desicion of the Palace to enact conscription will give the manpower the Army needs to push back the French. In line with this, I am willing to give the military as much money as is necessary to fund this expansion, train these troops and invest in the necessary weapons to push the French back.

"I would like to ask how the British can merely stand aside as the French invade three countries without prior warning, without any true reason, slaughters their people and pillages their lands, and makes war on the continent of Europe. The reforms the Reichstag is pushing through are only necessary, due to the supreme ineptness of our previous Kaiser. This only shows the true side of the United Kingdom. Their soldiers were brave and fought and died alongside their German brethren. I only hope our prestigious Army can regroup and end this war soon."

~ Minister Friedrich von Weiss
Naval Ministry

Mein Gott. Our allies, the British have left us to fight the French alone. In the Army's current state, we cannot win this war. The men want to fight for Germany and for the Kaiser who's charitable work has won him much support from the rank and file. Thy do not want to fight for a bunch of corrupt politicians. Their morale has dropped to a new low, while the French's has never been higher. I am afraid that no new tactics would be able of reverse the losses of the past year unless the government can get its act together.

I implore the Government, hold off on these damnable reforms that are tearing our nation apart. I have already asked for a delaying of these reforms. Stand behind the army and do not focus on cutting the good Kaiser down to size.

General Von Roon, do not comment on the government's situation, you are meant to be leading your army.

-Erich Von Falkenhayn, Chief of the General Staff.

As Vice-Regent I share both the Kaiser's and the Regent's concern about these reforms should not be passed now and only brought up once the war is over. As to the terrible tide in I which the war has turned suggest peace talks begin with France with the possiblity of plebiscite over the disputed territories of Alsace-Lorraine, if they refuse then we must crush the frogs and burn Paris to the ground.

-Prinz Heinrich von Hohenzollern, Vice-Imperial Regent.

I'm not sure we can crush the French. Our men are strong but the Chaos is sapping there morale. Perhaps the Government can approve some kind of Bill directed at the war to encourage them that the Internal Chaos is over and normal Business is resuming.

Is the communist leader delusional? The troops will only fight harder if their government can get it's priorities straight and their main priority should be the war! I demand no reform until the war is won!

With the Recent Bad news I and all the Communists throw there Support behind the General Staff and Encourage all Generals to Support it as long as this war lasts.

Von Roon, I am having you arrested to await court marshall! I will leave Berlin to take personal command of the Army on the Western front, I will come home victorious, or not at all.

OOC: It's hard to type on an
iPhone.

Mein Gott what next this is absolute chaos, order must be restored as soon as possible lest this kind of disorder spread, I ask of von Roon to resign his postion as the commander of the 1st army and ask my fellow Regent to appoint someone more comptent.

-Prinz Heinrich von Hohenzollern, Vice-Imperial Regent.

I have complete faith in the Cheif of the General Staff to regain the lost territory, and implore all troops to follow his command without looking from orders from the government in Berlin.

OOC: I will not IC anything from now on to show my total focus on driving the French back.

Gott im Himmel!

An entire army has been lost, due to sheer incompetence of command and party politics. Now, the French hordes swarm into the Rhineland. If we are to have any chance of survival, much less victory, we must put an end to the eternal meddling of amateurs. The Great General Staff must reign supreme in military affairs. Our armed forces cannot be encumbered by parliamentary squabbles.

I propose to the Reichstag an adjournment of the parliamentary agenda for the duration of this crisis. We cannot afford such frivolities and distractions, when all that we hold dear is but a bayonet away from the French invaders. I propose a free hand to the Supreme Army Command to enable them to reverse our errors and triumph in the field. We must offer everything that is required to repel the French.

Our priority is the fatherland. It is essential that the army forms a defensive line on the eastern bank of the Rhine, running from the Dutch border through Dusseldorf, Cologne, Bonn and Heidelberg. If the remnants of the Reichsheer cannot hold Elsass-Lothringen and the Rhine valley, then they can fall back to safety and prevent a total rout. We can ill-afford the loss of another army. We must replenish our losses from the debacle of Cologne. Conscripts, reservists and militiamen must be agglomerated and made ready for the field.

- His Royal Highness, August Wilhelm of Prussia, Prince Regent

The course of present government greatly troubles me. *The decision to plow headlong into destabilizing reform while our nation is in a war against a nation which seeks to destroy our own. *To shred an alliance which guaranteed security and shattered our will to fight is disgusting. *These Failures I lay at the feet of our chancellor. *When I joined this unity government I did so with firm belief that the government would focus on winning the war, not surrender to French nor push reform that has so destroyed our nation. * I think this chancellor's actions reveal the folly of extremism in our national politic.*

I will abstain from voting on the proposed reforms as the damage the have wrecked is both immediately apparent and vast. *War is not a time for idealism but instead pragmatic ism, something the chancellor would do well to learn.

*In any other circumstance, I would immediately resign from my position and remove my party from the government forcing fresh elections. *As the chancellor has not listened to advice or consulted concerned parties much to the detriment of our great nation. *It saddens me that our nation's greatest age might already be drawing to a close as we continue to squabble. *However, due to the severity of our nation's position, I will remain in the government to try and help right these wrongs, to help our soldiers in their fight, and to help our nation remain whole!

~Reinhart von und zu Birkenfeld

To the military: I would suggest using the Mosel River when forming the secondary Rhine line of defense, as we should not yield one inch of German land to the French.