public honorary offices conferred upon him. The law will define how far he may demand compensation.

ARTICLE 161. For the purpose of conserving health and the ability to work, of protecting motherhood and of guarding against the economic effects of age, debilities and the vicissitudes of life, the rights and, so far as it does not materially injure the business, the nation will create a comprehensive system of insurance, with the authoritative co-operation of the insured.

ARTICLE 162. The nation favors an international regulation of the legal status of the workers that strives for a general minimum measure of social rights for the whole working class of the world.

ARTICLE 163. It is the moral duty of every German, without prejudice to his personal liberty, so to use his intellectual and physical powers as is demanded by the welfare of the community.

Every German shall receive the possibility of earning his living through economic labor. In so far as the appropriate opportunity to work cannot be given to him his necessary maintenance will be looked after. Details will be arranged through special national laws.

ARTICLE 164. The independent middle class in agriculture, industry, and trade is to be favored in legislation and administration, and is to be protected against being overburdened and made victims of extortion.

ARTICLE 165. The workers and office employes are qualified to take part with equal rights and in co-operation with the employers in the regulation of wage and labor conditions, as well as in the entire economic development of the productive forces. The organizations on both sides and their unions are recognized.

The workers and office employes receive legal representation in the Factory Workers' Councils, as well as in the District Workers' Councils grouped according to economic districts, and in a National Workers' Council, for the purpose of looking after their social and economic interests.

The District Workers' Councils and the National Workers' Council meet together with the representatives of the employers and of other interested circles of people in District Economic Councils and a National Economic Council for the purpose of carrying out the joint economic tasks and for co-operating in the putting into effect of the laws of socialization. The District Economic Councils and the National Economic Council are to be formed so as to provide for the proper representation therein of all the important trade groups according to their economic and social importance.

Social political and economic political drafts of laws of funda

mental importance are to be submitted by the National Government to the National Economic Council for its opinion before presentation. The National Economic Council has the right itself to propose such plans of laws. If the National Government does not agree with it, it has the right, nevertheless, to present the proposal to the Reichstag with an exposition of its standpoint. The National Economic Council may have its proposal represented by one of its members before the Reichstag.

The Workers' and Economic Councils may have conferred upon them the powers of control and administration in the fields turned over to them.

The building up of the Workers' and Economic Councils and the defining of their duties, as well as their relations to other social self-administrative bodies, are exclusively matters of the nation.

TRANSITORY AND FINAL REGULATIONS.

ARTICLE 166. Until the establishment of the National Administrative Court the National Court will take its place in forming the Court for Examining Elections.

ARTICLE 167. The regulations of Article 18, Paragraphs 3 to 6, become effective two years after the announcement that the Constitution has gone into force.

ARTICLE 168. Until the promulgation of the State law provided for in Article 63, but at the most for only one year, all the Prussian votes in the National Council may be cast by members of the Government.

ARTICLE 169. The National Government will determine when the regulation laid down in Article 83, Paragraph 1, is to become effective.

ARTICLE 170. The Postal and Telegraph Administrations of Bavaria and Wurttemberg will be taken over by the nation not later than April 1, 1921.

If no understanding has been reached over the terms of their taking over by Oct. 1, 1920, the matter will be decided by the Supreme Court.

The former rights and duties of Bavaria and Wurttemberg remain in force until the act of taking over. Nevertheless, the postal and telegraph traffic with neighboring foreign countries will be regulated exclusively by the nation.

ARTICLE 171. The State railroads, waterways, and ocean

signal systems are to be taken over by the nation not later than April 1, 1921.

If no understanding has been reached over the terms of their taking over by Oct. 1, 1920, the matter will be decided by the Supreme Court.

ARTICLE 172. Until the national law regarding the Supreme Court becomes effective its powers will be exercised by a Senate of seven members, four of whom are to be elected from among its members by the Reichstag and three by the National High Court. Senate will arrange its own methods of procedure.

This

ARTICLE 173. Until the enactment of a national law provided for in Article 146, Paragraph 2, the legal status existing will continue. The law will pay special attention to districts of the nation where a system of schools not separated according to faiths legally exists.

ARTICLE 175. The regulations of Article 109 do not apply to orders and decorations conferred for services in the war years of 1914-1919.

ARTICLE 176. All public officials and members of the army are to be sworn upon this Constitution. The details will be fixed by an order of the national President.

ARTICLE 177. Where in the existing laws it is provided that the oath be taken in connection with a religious form, the taking of the oath can be made legal by having the swearer say, leaving out the religious form, "I swear." For the rest the contents of the oath provided for in the laws remains undisturbed.

ARTICLE 178. The Constitution of the German Empire of April 16, 1871, and the law covering the temporary exercise of the national authority of Feb. 10, 1919, are annulled.

The other laws and regulations of the nation remain in force, in so far as they are not in contradiction with this Constitution. The arrangements contained in the Peace Treaty signed on June 28, 1919, at Versailles, are not affected by the Constitution.

Ordinances of the authorities legally issued on the strength of previously existing laws retain their power until annulled through other ordinances or legislation.

ARTICLE 179. In so far as reference is made in laws or ordinances to regulations and institutions which are abolished by this Constitution their places will be taken by the corresponding regulations and institutions of this Constitution. In particular the place of the National Assembly will be taken by the Reichstag, that of the Committee of States by the National Council, and the place of

national President elected on the strength of the law covering the temporary exercise of the national authority, by the national President elected under the authority of this Constitution.

The power to issue ordinances conferred upon the Committee of States through the former provisions is transferred to the national Government; the Government in issuing ordinances requires the approval of the National Council as laid down in this Constitution.

ARTICLE 180. Until the convening of the first Reichstag the National Assembly will function as the Reichstag. Until the installment of the first national President his office will be filled by the national President elected on the strength of the law covering the temporary exercise of the national authority.

ARTICLE 181. The German people have adopted and decreed this Constitution through its National Assembly. It goes into effect upon the day of its publication.-Current History Magazine, published by the New York Times, September number.

CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN SOCIALIST FEDERAL SOVIET REPUBLIC.

The following translation of the Constitution of the Russian Soviet Republic is made from an official printed text embodying the latest revisions, and required by law to be posted in all public places in Russia.

RESOLUTION OF THE FIFTH ALL-RUSSIAN CONGRESS OF SOVIETS, ADOPTED ON JULY 10, 1918.

The declaration of rights of the laboring and exploited people (approved by the third All-Russian Congress of Soviets in January, 1918), together with the Constitution of the Soviet Republic, approved by the fifth Congress, constitutes a single fundamental law of the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic.

This fundamental law becomes effective upon the publication of the same in its entirety in the "Izvestia of the All-Russian General Executive Committee." It must be published by all organs of the Soviet Government and must be posted in a prominent place in every Soviet institution.

The fifth Congress instructs the People's Commissariat of Education to introduce in all schools and educational institutions of the Russian Republic the study and explanation of the basic principles of this Constitution.

ARTICLE I.

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS OF THE LABORING AND EXPLOITED PEOPLE.

CHAPTER I.

1. Russia is declared to be a Republic of the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies. All the central and local power belongs to these Soviets.

2. The Russian Soviet Republic is organized on the basis of a free union of free nations, as a federation of Soviet national republics.

CHAPTER II.

3. Bearing in mind as its fundamental problem the abolition of the exploitation of men by men, the entire abolition of the division of the people into classes, the suppression of exploiters, the establishment of a Socialist society, and the victory of socialism in all lands, the third All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers", Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies further resolves:

(a) For the purpose of attaining the socialization of land, all private property in land is abolished, and the entire land is declared to be national property and is to be apportioned among agriculturists without any compensation to the former owners, in the measures of each one's ability to till it.

(b) All forests, treasures of the earth, and waters of general public utility, all equipment whether animate or inanimate, model farms and agricultural enterprises, are declared to be national property.

(c) As a first step toward complete transfer of ownership to the Soviet Republic of all factories, mills, mines, railways, and other means of production and transportation, the Soviet law for the control by workmen and the establishment of the Supreme Soviet of National Economy is hereby confirmed, so as to insure the power of the workers over the exploiters.

(d) With reference to international banking and finance, the third Congress of Soviets is discussing the Soviet decree regarding the annulment of loans made by the Government of the Czar, by landowners and the bourgeoisie, and it trusts that the Soviet Government will firmly follow this course until the final victory of the international workers' revolt against the oppression of capital.

(e) The transfer of all banks to the ownership of the Workers'