MARTIAL LAW IN BERLIN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 117, 4 February 1918, Page 5

MARTIAL LAW IN BERLIN

■ . * — : DRASTIC STEPS TO QUELL THE STRIKERS BUT BRITISH PAPERS SUSPECT "CAMOUFLAGE". UNFAVOURABLE CRITICISM OF ' THE ALLIES / ITALIANS AGAIN SCORE Amongst to-day's dispatches referring to the strikes in Germany is 1 one from London conveying the ide a that the whole thing is an artful piece of camouflage—or "fake"—designed to entrap the British work- ' ers into a conspiracy. The newspapers which voice the idea are-of ' opinion, however, that the British worker is not likely to be so easily fooled. That apart, the news from other sources sustains the , aspect of a great and widespread industrial upheaval in the Fatherland. Berlin is stated to be under martial law, while drastic oteps are being taken to quell the disturbances and keep the wheels of the war factories revolving. The Commandant at Hamburg is reported to have"; offered the strikers in his city the option of working or fighting in tho trenches. Britain just now is passing a serious food crisis, and the industrial outlook, according to Mr. Arthur Henderson, is dark and menacing. The Italians have capped the success of their recent offensive by a clever surprise coup. The Greek Government has ordered, the mobilisation of! ten classes of reserves this month. Argentina is said to beheading towards war. In Russia the situation —either in a political or a military sense—has undergone no very material change. The Commander of the Tinnish Government forces in North Finland is to march south against the Red Guards, and has already had several successful encounters with them. M. Trotsky, the Bolshevik Foreign Secretary, has been interviewed. Amongst several things, he says that the Allies failed to demonstrate their peace sincerity when they declined to nominate representatives to act as delegates to the negotiations at Brest Litovsk. ...... —i '

MARTIAL LAW IN BERLIN

GOVERNMENT ISSUES DRASTIC PROCLAMATION • VIOLENT SCENES IN GERMAN CITIES By Telegraph-Prese'Aesociatiou-'Copiright (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) ' Amsterdam, February' 2. The German Government considers that the strikes have gone far enough, and is initiating more drastic methods, including the issue of very limited rations to.the strikers, the dissolution of the Berlin Soviet of live hundred members, and the seizure of the strike offices. The Cologne "Volks Zeitung" calls for a dictatorship. "It is evident," it says, "that the social democracy considers that the time lias come for them to realise their programme by violence. The Government and the lourgeoise partios must beware that the Socialists do not decide the matter." A typical strike leaflet, circulated in Berlin reads: "The Government deBires peace, but it is only a mask. Only by a rising en masse can t v e people end this misery and wholesale massacre.. A democratic republic, aloud can cry a halt to this international butchery. Delayi no longer, German workers, men and -women alike, but act with vigour, sparing nonel Now is the time for the blow!" ' . It is estimated that one hundred thousand people were concerned in the Charlottenburg riots, of which the watchwords were: "Peace and bread!" When the police ordered the strikers to disperse, a shot was fired and a panic commenced. The, police charged with drawn swords. Then the crowd organised itself for street fighting, blocking the'roads. There were numerous arrests. Throughout the day the crowd attempted riots, but cavalry and troops with machine-gune overawed them.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■' PUBLIC MEETINGS FORBIDDEN. (Rec! February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, February 1. Stringent martial law has been proclaimed in Berlin. Tho edict warns citizens not to participate in public meetings. The "Berliner Tageblatt" states that the police have occupied the trades Union buildings, where a number of leaders are imprisoned. There has been no rioting in Berlin; but several disturbances in tho suburbs. The police dispersed the workers.—Aub.-N.Z. ■ Cable Assn. , WORK-OR THE FIRING UNE. I (Rec. February .3, 5.5 p.m.) Hamburg, February 1. The commandant of the city has issued a proclamation to the effect that all workmen liable for military service and not resuming work will be called up forthwith. Another proclamation orders all strikers to resume.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. LATEST NEWS: STREET DEMONSTRATIONS AND POLICE FIGHTS (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Stockholm, February 2. The latest news from Berlin, Charlottenburg, and Spandau states that big demonstrations have occurred in the streets, with fights between the strikers-and the police.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ONE WAY OF GLOSSING IT OVER. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) i ' Amsterdam, February ]. The "Germania" asserts that the strikes are a blessing for the employers, and will only hurt the workers. The employers were about to close their works for several days owing to a coal shortage, and had agreed to pay fivesevenths of the expenses of the lock-out.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. " ONLY 120,000 STRIKERS " A GERMAN SEMI-OFFICIAL REPORT. Amsterdam, January 31. A semi-official Berlin telegram, dated January 30, states that there are only 120,000 strikers. The newspapers, with a few exceptions, have reappeared. Street traffic is normal. There are no disturbances anywhere in the Empire.—Reuter. TENDENCY TO EXAGGERATE EXTENT OP TROUBLE NUMBER STATED NOT SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE. London, February 1. The tendency here to exaggerate the importance < f the German strikes continues. There is no evidence of tho strikers numbering anything like a Bullion, though it is evident that there is much labour unrest. Tho German trade union leaders generallyare hostile to the strikers. The result of the suspension of the "Vorwaerts" is that the printers of all the big newspapers have struok. The Berlin newspapers did not appear yesterday.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

IS IT MERELY "CLEVER CAMOUFLAGE"?

WORKERS WARNED NOT TO BE ENTRAPPED INTO A CONSPIRACY. (Rec. February .3, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 2. A section of the London Press flatly doscrihes the German strike as "clever camouflage," designed to incite revolt and spread pacifism throughout the British industrial districts, especially in support of the engineers' attitude towards the man-power scheme. Tlie workers :.re warned against this attempt to trap them into a conspiracy, hut it ij. generally believed that tho majority or the men are incapable of being fooled.—"The "Times." STRIKE FEVER EXTENDS TO HOLLAND. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, February 1. The strike- fever is extending to Holland as the result of the food scarcity- and other hardships.' The workers' secretariat has decided to call a gen. eral strike at Amsterdam on February 4.—"The Times."

TROTSKY AND THE'ALLIES

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BOLSHEVIK MINISTER OFFENDED BY THEIR ATTITUDE (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) "' New York, February 1. The United Press correspondent at Petrograd has had an interview with M. Trotsky, who said: "I believe Mr. Lloyd George and President Wilson should have joined in the Russo-German negotiations, if they really desired peace. They would thus have smashed tho main weapon by which Germany maintains her internal discipline. The Entente Powers' refusal has enabled the Kaiser to show his workmen that the Allies want Germany." M. Trotsky added that general negotiations would have created a world-wide peace sentiment, and any attempt to renew the war would have resulted in the overthrow of all the Governments. "That," he said "is why the Entente Powers refused to join. They still hope to crash the Central Powers, but they do not desire to sacrifice their imperialism. Inasmuch as these belligerents refused to join in the negotiations, President Wilson's and Mr. Lloyd George's formulas are merely 'scraps of paper,' enabling the German Imperialists to satisfy their appetite at Russia's expense. We theiefore believe that the Entente Powers silently approved the German demands at Brest Litovsk. ; We are conducting negotiations, hoping that the Allies will still join us. Wβ are virtually warring against Rumania because she is shutting off our troops and seizing our provinces. "If," Iβ added, "the Allies do not participate in the negotiations at Brest Litovsk, we. will take whatever action which may seem to be of the best advantage to revolutionary Russia."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ! TARTAR-BOLSHEVIK WAR FORESHADOWED Petrograd, February 1. M. Trotsky, addressing tho Soviets' Congress, foreshadowed tho possibility of the Tartars challenging the Bolshevik supremacy. A Ukrainian legiment is reported to have disarmed by force sailors and Red Guards at Bakchisarai. Fighting has begun between Cossacks and Bolsheviks at Astrakhan. It is reported that tho B.olsheviki have seized Rumanian shipping in the Russian Black Sea ports.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asan. / DEFEAT OF COSSACKS CLAIMED. London, February 1. The Bolshevik newspapers ■in Petrograd claim a big success against the Cossacks. They say that General Kalcdin is practically deserted.-rAus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. POLISH LEGIONS TURN ON THE BOLSHEVIK! Petrograd, February 1. Inforrnation from Minsk states that the Polish legions have declared war against the Bolsheviki. The latter hotly attacked the Polish division under General Ottapovitch.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p m.) Petrograd, February 2. Twenty-six thousand Polish, legionaries, commanded by Polish generals, have occupied Rogateheff. The Provisional Soviet, demanded the evacuation of the town and the submission of the Polish Staff, intimating that the fate of a number of leading hostages depended upon their reply.—Reuter. 1 SURRENDER OF KIEFF CONFIRMED. : (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) ' Petrograd, February 2. The Maximalist Agency confirms the capture of Kieff. Three Ukrainian regiments, with artillery, joined the Soviet troops, tho whole of tho garrison refusing to fight.—Reuter. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) New York, February 2. Advices from Petrograd state that the Bolsheviki have captured" Orenburg and Odessa.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RAID ON RUMANIAN SHIPPING. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Petrograd, February 1. The Revolutionary Committee has seized forty Rumanian steamers and several warships in the Black Sea ports.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RUMOURED DEPARTURE OF ALLIED EMBASSIES. London, February 1. It is rumoured that the Embassies of the Western Allies are leaving Petr rograd, owing to the Bolshevik attitude,towards Rumania. This astonishes and dismays the Bolsheviki, whose view is that Rumania is on the verge of a badly-needed revolution,- consequent on the landowners preparing to seize Bessarabia, with the collusion of the Bessarabian propertied classes, in order to compensate Rumania for the loss of the Dobrudja. Rumania would then make peace with Austria and Germany. The Bolsheviki are astonished at the Allies supporting the Rumanian propertied classes, who are actually working in the interests of the Central rowers.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A NEW PARTY-THE INDEPENDENT ANARCHISTS , London, February 1. A new party has arisen in Petrograd called the "Independent Anarchists." Its members denounced the Bolsheviki as a bourgeois Government. The. Anarchists threaten to hflld the American Ambassador personally responsible for the safety of two of tjieir comrades who have been sentenced in America for violating the military draft law.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO KILL LENIN. London, February 1. A telegram from Petrograd states that another attempt was made on M. Lenin's life, but was defeated. A student entered the Smolnej Institute and fired a revolver, which missed its mark. The assailant was arrested.— Reuter. THE DISHONOURED LOANS Paris,' February 1. The Minister of Finance has announced that the Government believed that succeeding Governments of Russia would continue to pay interest on loans. Therefore the Government would pay the interest on Russian securities held in France.—Atts.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ AN ADJOURNMENT AT BREST LITOVSK. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 2. A German wireless report states that Dr. von Kuhlmann (German Foreign Secretary) has agreed to the adjournment of tho Brest Litovsk Conference, to consider the question of opposing the Ukrainian parties who are seeking to represent Ukrainia. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE WAR IN FINLAND (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Stockholm, February^. General Mannheim (Commander of the Finnish Northern Army) continues his successful march southwards. Disarming the Red Guards, he has occupied Twooerfors, Kristinestadt, and Tavastehus. There is great enthusiasm in North Finland, whore all the men between fifteen and sixty aro joining the Government troops. Only Tornea, Kerns, and Uleaborg remain in the hands of the Red Guard in North Finland. Thero has been fighting around Viborg. Helsingfors remains in the hands of tho Red Guards. The newspapers have been stopped. The members of the Landtag Bank directorate have been arrested. The City Council has dissolved. Tho Government troops have occupied Raumo, Lovisa, and Borga, in South Finland.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. • (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Petrograd, February 1. A republic has been established in tho Crimea. The entiro population acknowledges it.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' PLAGUE IN THE CAUCASUS. (Rec. February 3, 5.5 p.m.) Petrograd, February 1. Advices from the Caucasus state that plague has started.—Aus,-N,Z. Cable Assn.