E. German Cabinet Resigns Amid Protests

BERLIN--Hours after East Germany's Cabinet resigned, more than 100,000 people rallied in at least four cities to demand that the ruling Communist Party give them the right to choose their own government.

The party's policy-making Central Committee was to convene today to discuss further changes in the leadership, and state-run television promised "important personnel decisions." The session is expected to run until Friday.

The Cabinet, led by 75-year-old Premier Willi Stoph, resigned jointly yesterday. The body has little power and implements policy made by the Politburo. Stoph and several other ministers also are Politburo members.

"We appeal to the citizens who intend to leave our republic to reconsider their step once more," said a statement issued by the outgoing Cabinet. "Our socialist fatherland needs everyone."

The Cabinet will remain in office until the election of a new one. Government spokesperson Wolfgang Meyer did not say when such an election will occur.

Several Communist officials and three small parties allied with the Communists have urged the Politburo itself to resign.

The exodus to the West went on unabated yesterday with the number of East German refugees arriving in West Germany since Saturday, when free exit through Czechoslovakia was first permitted, reaching more than 33,000.

State television said Communist leaders would discuss an "action program" of political and economic reforms, plans to set up a constitutional court to protect citizens' rights and a law that would set up a civilian service as an alternative for those drafted by the military.

The measures were announced by new Communist leader Egon Krenz on Friday, but he has not disclosed details.

Krenz is trying to cope with the mass defection of his compatriots and the blossoming over the past month of the largest protests in East Germany's 40-year history.

So far this year, more than 175,000 East Germans--more than I percent of the population of 16.6 million--have moved to West Germany by emigrating legally, escaping or failing to return from approved trips abroad.

West Germany gives them automatic citizenship and help in starting new lives.

Promising a "new course" for East Germany, Krenz has announced that five members of the party's ruling Politburo would leave their posts during the Central Committee meeting. Two other Politburo members resigned when Krenz replaced hardline leader Erich Honecker on October 18.

The full body usually has 21 members.

The Politburo met yesterday, but by late evening official media had not reported on what resulted from the gathering.

As the leaders met, 5,000 East Berliners marched past the party building to demand free elections, shouting, "Egon, we are the competitors," and "We are the people."

The few police outside the party building did not intervene.

ADN said 50,000 people rallied yesterday in Wismar, on the Baltic coast, demanding free elections and the end of the Communist Party's monopoly on power. Between 35,000 and 40,000 people also rallied in Nordhausen, near Erfurt, and another 20,000 demonstrated in Meiningen, it said.

Guenter Krusche, a senior Lutheran Churchleader in East Berlin, called for immediate"secret and free elections" to choose a newCabinet.

Chosen By Parliament

The 44-member Cabinet normally is chosen by theCommunist-dominated Parliament. Krusche said hedidn't believe the 500-member legislature "in itspresent form" could choose a Cabinet that would betrusted by the people.

Also yesterday, a day after the governmentintroduced a proposed law promising up to 30 daysof travel to the West, a parliamentary committeerejected the measure and urged the legalization ofunrestricted stays abroad.

"The proposal does not meet the expectations ofcitizens...and will not achieve the politicalcredibility of the state," the constitutionalcommittee said. It also urged an emergencyParliament session to discuss how to end thewestward exodus of young skilled workers that isdraining the workforce.

Krusche, the Lutheran leader, spoke during afrank program on state-run television on theexodus of tens of thousands of East Germans, whichwas described by a television commentator as asubject "burning under our nails." The exodus'latest surge is through Czechoslovakia, the onlycountry to which East Germans can travel freely.

The escape route opened Saturday created thefirst free passage to the West since the BerlinWall went up in 1961. Authorities have said theroute will remain open until a new travel lawtakes effect, possibly before Christmas