In the event of such veto the law shall be laid before the Reichstag for a second decision. If the Reichstag and the National Council do not agree, the President of the Republic may within three months refer the subject of dispute to a referendum. In case the President does not avail himself of this right, the law will be considered not to have been passed. If the Reichstag rejects the protest of the National Council on the basis of a two-thirds majority vote, the President shall publish the law in the form accepted by the Reichstag within three months, or else decree a referendum.

ARTICLE 75. Through a referendum a Reichstag decision may be nullified only when a majority of the qualified voters participate in the voting.

ARTICLE 76. In respect to legislation the Constitution may be altered. But decisions of the Reichstag on alteration of the Constitution shall be valid only when two-thirds of the lawful membership are present, and at least two-thirds of those present give their assent. Decisions of the National Council on alteration shall also require a two-thirds majority of all votes cast. In case a change of Constitution is determined by popular desire through a referendum, the assent of a majority of qualified voters shall be required.

In the event that the Reichstag determine on an alteration of the Constitution against the protest of the National Council, the President of the Republic need 'not publish this law, if the National Council demand a referendum within two weeks.

ARTICLE 77. The Government shall issue the general administrative decrees required for the execution of the national laws where no other provision is made by law. The assent of the National Council is necessary when the execution of the laws is incumbent on State officials.

NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION.

ARTICLE 78. Relations with foreign States concern the nation exclusively.

In matters regulated by provincial law the confederated States may conclude treaties with foreign States. These treaties require the consent of the nation.

Agreements with foreign States regarding change of national boundaries may be concluded by the nation on consent of the State involved. Alterations of the boundaries may occur only on the basis of a Government law, except in cases where mere correction of the boundaries of uninhabited districts is in question.

To assure the representation of interests arising for special States through their special economic relations or their proximity to foreign countries, the Government shall decide on the measures and arrangements required in concert with the States involved.

ARTICLE 79. The defense of the nation concerns the nation. The military organization of the German people shall be placed under unified control by a Government law in which the special provincial institutions shall be given due consideration.

ARTICLE 80. Colonial administration exclusively.

concerns the nation

ARTICLE 81. All German merchant ships shall constitute a unified trade fleet.

ARTICLE 82. Germany forms a customs and trade territory surrounded by a common customs boundary. This customs boundary shall be identical with the frontier boundary. On the coast the shore line of the mainland and of the islands belonging to the national territory constitute the customs boundary. Exceptions may be determined for the customs line running along the sea coast and other waters. Foreign territories or parts of territories may be annexed to the customs territory by national treaties or agreements.

Parts of the customs territory may be excluded on special request. In the case of free ports this exclusion may occur only through a law altering the Constitution. Customs districts excluded may be annexed to a foreign customs district through national treaties or agreements.

All natural products, as well as arts and crafts products, may in the free intercourse of the nation be transported into, out of, or across the boundaries of the various States and communities. Exceptions may be permitted by a Government law.

ARTICLE 83. Customs and excise of articles of consumption shall be administered through Government officials. Measures shall be provided for the administration of Government taxes through Government officials which shall enable the confederated States to maintain special State interests in the spheres of agriculture, trade, crafts, and industry.

ARTICLE 84. The Government shall provide by law for:

1. The organization of the administration of taxes in the different States so far as shall be required for the unified and regular fulfillment of the national tax laws.

2. The organization and functions of the officials charged with supervision of the execution of the national tax laws.

3. Balance accounts with the confederated States.

4. The reimbursement of the costs of administration in the execution of the national tax laws.

ARTICLE 85. All revenues and disbursements of the nation must be computed for every fiscal year and entered in the budget. The budget shall be confirmed before the beginning of the fiscal year by law. The expenses shall regularly be appropriated for one year; in special cases they may be approved for a longer period. In other cases provision in the budget law extending beyond the fiscal year or not relating to the revenues and expenses of the nation or its administration shall be prohibited.

The Reichstag, in the drawing up of the budget, may not increase or add new expenses without the consent of the National Council. The consent of the National Council may be replaced according to the provisions of Article 74.

ARTICLE 86. For the employment of all national revenue the Minister of Finance shall in the following fiscal year, to cover the responsibility of the administration, submit an account of reckoning to the National Council and to the Reichstag. The auditing of this account shall be regulated by national law.

ARTICLE 87. In the matter of credit, moneys shall be procured only in case of extraordinary need and regularly only for expenses connected with promotion. Such procuring of moneys, as well as the assumption by the Government of a security obligation, may occur on the strength of a Government law.

ARTICLE 88. The post and telegraph services, together with the telephone service, concern the nation exclusively. The postage stamp symbols shall be the same for the whole nation.

The Government Administration shall, with the consent of the National Council, issue decrees laying down principles and duties in the use of means of communication. With the consent of the National Council it may extend this authority to the Postmaster General.

The Government Administration, with the consent of the State Council, shall appoint a supplementary council for advisory co-operation in postal, telegraph, telephone communications, and the regulation of prices.

Only the Government shall conclude treaties dealing with communications with foreign countries.

ARTICLE 89. It is the nation's duty to take over railroads serving general traffic, with all their property, and to manage them as a unified system of communication.

ARTICLE 90. With the taking over of the railroads the Government shall also take over the right of property alienation and the

supreme State rights relating to railway organization. The National Supreme Court shall decide the scope of such rights in case of disputes.

ARTICLE 91. The Government Administration, with the consent of the State Council, shall issue decrees regulating the construction, the management, and the traffic of railways. With the consent of the National Council it may extend this authority to the proper Government Minister.

ARTICLE 92. The Government railways, irrespective of their budget and their accounts in the general budget and general accounts of the nation, shall be administered as an independent economic undertaking, which shall defray its own expenses, including interest and cancellation of the railway debt, and shall set aside a railway sinking fund. The amount of the cancellation and of the sinking fund, as well as the objects for which money shall be applied, shall be regulated by special laws.

ARTICLE 93. Acting for the Government railways, with the consent of the National Council, the Government Administration shall appoint supplementary councils for advisory co-operation in matters of railway traffic and transportation charges.

ARTICLE 94. In the event that the Government has taken over into its administration the railways of a certain district which serve general transport needs, within that district new railways serving such general transportation needs may be built only by the Government or by its consent. In case such construction of new railways, or alterations of existing railway organizations, concern the sphere of authority of the State police, the Railway Administration, before decision, must grant a hearing to the State officials.

In case the Government has not yet taken over the railways, it may administer on its own account railways considered essential for general transportation, or for national defense, by virtue of Government laws and despite the opposition of the States which they traverse, yet without infringing sovereign State rights, or it may give over construction rights to another, if necessary, also according right of alienation.

Every Railway Administration must consent to connection with other railway lines at the latter's expense.

ARTICLE 95. Railways for general traffic not administered by the Government are subject to the supervision of the Government.

The railways thus subjected to Government supervision are to be controlled and equipped, according to the same principles, to be determined by the Government. They shall be maintained in safe

condition and to be extended as necessity demands. Transportation of persons and goods shall, as need arises, be provided for and equipment furnished.

In the supervision of the cost of transportation, the supervisors shall work toward a uniform and a low railway rate.

ARTICLE 96. All railways, including those not serving general traffic needs, must comply with the demands of the Government for use of the railways for the purpose of national defense.

ARTICLE 97. It is the duty of the Government to take over for administration all waterways serving general communications. After such taking over, such waterways serving general communications may be applied or extended only by the Government or with its consent. In administering, extending, or reconstructing such waterways the needs of agriculture and irrigation shall be preserved in co-operation with the States affected. The claims of the latter shall also be regarded.

Every administration of waterways must agree to amalgamation with other inner waterways at the cost of the undertakers. The same obligation exists for the construction of a connecting way between inner waterways and railways.

In taking over the waterways the Government shall assume the right of alienation and authority over transportation cost and the policing of waters and navigation.

The task of building water communications in connection with the extension of natural waterways in the Rhine, Weser, and Elbe regions is to be undertaken by the Government.

ARTICLE 98. Supplementary councils shall be formed with the consent of the National Council by specific decree of the Government Administration for co-operation in matters affecting waterways and national waterways.

ARTICLE 99. Expenses on natural waterways shall be incurred only for such works, establishments, and other institutions as are destined to facilitate communication. In the case of State and community institutions they must not exceed the expenses required for repair and maintenance. The costs of repair and maintenance for institutions not intended exclusively to facilitate communication, but also to further other purposes, may be increased by navigation expenses only to a relative degree. Sums paid for interest and debt cancellation shall be included in costs for maintenance.

The provisions of the preceding clause apply to the disbursements incurred for artificial waterways as well as for constructions on such and in harbors.