When we come to the all-important region of education, the conditions of compromise in which the Constitution took shape have prevented the establishment of any very clear principle or very cut and dried procedure. This was indeed one of the most contentious chapters of which 'clericalism' contested every inch. The Democrats and Dr. Preuss had originally introduced a uniform and secular system; but they and the Social-Democrats, in the abstention of the Independents, were unable to carry this through against the Clerical Centrum. The resultant compromise is not unlike that now prevailing in England. It may work but it satisfies nobody. And finally coming to the army the effect of the success secured by the centralising party is even more questionable. The Revolution originally contemplated merely a militia on the Swiss model, under Federal control. The first result of reaction was to substitute a professional and highly paid force, the Frei-Corps, under Prussian command and control. The consequence of this was that the Southern States insisted on retaining their separate military systems, and these were duly recognised in the early drafts of the Constitution, to the great disgust of nationalists and militarists. But then came the proclamation of Räte-Republics in Saxony and Bavaria, and their suppression by Prussian Frei-Corps with some assistance from Würtemberg and Baden. This re-established, _de facto_, a military predominance of Prussia which enabled the Prussian jurists to replace military matters under the Federal Government. Art. 79 now gives complete authority to the Minister of Defence; and the special military autonomies of Bavaria and other States, reserved in previous drafts, disappear. But, so long as the Frei-Corps continue, with their Prussian organisation and officers, a Federal army is, for the present, at least, nothing else than a Prussian army. Though Noske is the Minister of Defence, not Minister of War, as he is sometimes called, and is a member of a Federal Cabinet and not, as before, a Prussian Minister, and though the Eden Hotel clique has been transferred to the Ministry of Defence--yet the armed forces of the Republic are, for the present, the armed forces of Prussia. This is, however, a transition stage. The Prussian officer is the creation of conditions that no longer exist to-day, and the Frei-Corps a creation of conditions that will not exist to-morrow. When Germany again gets peace, Prussia will lose a predominance that it owes to past conditions, but not to the Constitution.