The first ballots in the General Election for the Reichstag
took place on Friday week. In 206 of the 397 constituencies members were elected outright, while in the remaining 191 constituencies second ballots will be necessary. Of the seats already definitely allotted the Conservatives hold 31, the Centre 81, the National Liberals 4, the Radicals 0, and the Socialists 64; while in the second ballots there will take part 65 Conservatives, 29 Centre, 67 National Liberals, 56 Radicals, and 121 Socialists. The Socialists have so far made a net gain of 23 seats, while the Conservatives have lost 14, the Centre and Anti-Semites 6 each, the National Liberals 13, and the Radicals 12. With regard to the number of votes polled, the Socialists obtained 4,238,919—more than twice as many as any other single party, and more than a third of the total number of votes recorded. The Centre obtained the next largest number-2,012,990—and the Conservatives, National Liberals, and Radicals each about a million and a half. The Socialist vote has increased by nearly a million since 1907, while the Centre vote has decreased by over 150,000.
