shipping was the issue which divided public sentiment.  The same democratic forces which had been supporting the Chancellor in other fights again lined up with the Foreign Office.  The reactionaries supported Major Bassermann, who really led the fight against the Chancellor.  During this period the Chancellor and the Foreign Office saw that the longer the war lasted the stronger the von Tirpitz party would become because the people were growing more desperate and were enthused by the propaganda cry of the Navy, “Down with England.”  The Chancellor and the Foreign Office tried once more to get the world to talk about peace.  After the presidential nominations in America the press began to discuss the possibilities of American peace intervention.  Every one believed that the campaign and elections in America would have an important effect on the prospects of peace.  Theodore Wolff, editor of the Berlin Tageblatt, who was the Chancellor’s chief supporter in newspaper circles, began the publication of a series of articles to explain that in the event of the election of Charles E. Hughes, Germany would be able to count upon more assistance from America and upon peace.  At the time the Allies were pounding away at the Somme and every effort was being made to bring about some kind of peace discussions when these battles were over.

On September 20th a convention of Socialists was held in Berlin for the purpose of uniting the Socialist party in support of the Chancellor.  The whole country was watching the Socialist discussions because every one felt that the Socialist party represented the real opinion of the people.  After several days of discussion all factional differences were patched up and the Socialists were ready to present a solid front when the fight came in the Reichstag on September 28th.  On the 27th, Berlin hotels began to buzz with excitement over the possibilities of overthrowing the Chancellor.  The fight was led by the National Liberals and Centre Party groups.  It was proposed by Dr. Coerting, an industrial leader from Hannover, to move a vote of lack of confidence in the Chancellor.  Coerting was supported by the big ammunition interests and by the von Tirpitz crowd.  Before the Reichstag convened the Chancellor went to Great Headquarters for a final conference with the Kaiser and Field Marshal von Hindenburg.  Before he left it looked as if the Chancellor would be overthrown.  But when he returned he summoned the Reichstag leaders who were supporting him and several editors of Liberal newspapers.  The Chancellor told them that von Hindenburg would support him.  The next day editorials appeared in a number of newspapers, saying that von Hindenburg and the Chancellor were united in their ideas.  This was the most successful strategic move the Chancellor had made, for the public had such great confidence in von Hindenburg that when it was learned that he was opposed to von Tirpitz the backbone of opposition to the Chancellor was broken.