WITH THE ENEMY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15894, 7 May 1917, Page 8

WITH THE ENEMY.

STRIKE MOVEMENT COLLAPSES. ARREST OF LEADERS. MARTIAL LAW THREATENED. (By Cib>—Ppcrs Association—Copyiig-hO (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) BERNE, May 4. The closing of tlie German frontiers U partially explained bv the refusal of the Independent Socialist leaders to give an undertaking not to interrupt work on May Day. The military authorities informed them on April 28th that t'frey would be arrested for hi,2;h treason and probably shot unless they gave the required pledge. Tho stalwarts collapsed, and the pledge was given. Thereupon the military on April 2)9th arrested one thousand of the most unruly local leaders at Berlin, Leipzig, Breslau, Magdeburg, Halle, Dresden, Stuttgart, and Kiel, where May Day strikes were threatened, and the rank and file of the party were left leaderless. They found' placards on tho morning of Mar Day staring them in the face warning them that; the full penalties of martial law would be inflicted upon strikers. The -whole movement in consequence collapsed, and the Independent Socialists went to work on Tuesday. MARTIAL LAW IN BADEN. BERNE. May 4. The whole of tho Grand Duchy of Baden has been proclaimed a. war zone under the severest martial law, owing to unrest armong the workers. SHORTAGE OF FODDERBERNE. May 4. It is stated that all pigs in Germany must bo slaughtered within a few weeks, owing to the lack of fodder. RUSSIANS "WHEAT. ALLIED MONOPOLY FEARED. (Received May 6th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 4. Newspapers in Germany point out the importance of endeavouring to secure Russia's wheat, bccause enemy countries would hare a wheat monopoly after tho war. POLITICAL REFORMS. THE CHANCELLOR'S RESPONSIBILITY. (AostraKm and. jS\Z. Cable Association.) "(Received - Mav 6th, 11.5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, May o. The Reichstag Constitution Committee rejected the Socialists' proposal that Hie Kaiser should not have the right to declare war, conclude peace, or make, alliances without tho consent of the Federal Council and tho Chancellor, who should be liable to the Reichstag's dismissal,'but accepted a Conservative motion, declaring more generally the Chancellor's responsibility to the Kaiser and the Federal Council. , GRATE FOOD RIOTS. TROOPS FIRE ON THE PEOPLE. (Received May 11.5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, May 5. Tho "Telegraaf" reports that grave food riots have occurred at Mainz, in tho Grand Duchy of Hesse. Tho troops fired on tho rioters, and killed eight <of them. Five hundred were arrested.

GERMANY'S FATE. WILL BE [DECIDED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. FOOD POSITION SERIOUS. (Beuter'a .Telegrams.) (Received May 6th, 11.5 p.m.) ZURICH, May 5. The Bavarian Minister, Dr. Bretreich, in a speech, admitted that the food situation was very serious. The people must he prepared to live more and more on vegetables. He added that the next few weeks would decide the fate of Germany.