THE FIRE EATERS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 101, 30 April 1923, Page 7

THE FIRE EATERS

GERMANY'S DISGUISED FORCES

MILITARISTIC GYMNASTIC SOCIETIES EEPUBLIC TAKING ACTION. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION,—COPSIHOHT.} (AUSTRALIAN . NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received 30th April, 10 a.m.) BERLIN, 29th April. - Plotting of reactionaries to overthrow the Republic was disclosed at a trial at Leipzig held to decide whether the Popular Freedom Party shall be broken up. The whole facts will not be published, as the leaders of the party contepd that publication would endanger national interests in view of the' new Allied Note regarding illegal German organisations. In consequence of this, the Judges, after the opening speeches, decided to continue the hearing in private. The preliminary speech for the Government side indicated that the party was highly organised in Prussia, Thuri§gia, and Saxony into companies innocently disguised as gymnastic societies. The discoveries included plans of an advance on Central Germany and to invest Berlin. Fighting formations have been established in all the leading towns, and when the time was ripe the leadership was to be transferred to a certain general. The most active organiser was Lieutenant Eossbach, who is now await ing trial on a charge of high treason A speaker contended that the intention was to organise all reactionary fighting formations with the.. object of overthrowing the Government. Herr yon Greve and other leaders of the party replied that the party was innocent. Its aims were political, but they would not disclose them in open Court. The party had no intention of engaging in war against, France, though he admitted that defence of the frontiers 'Was among the objectives. He also ad' mitted that Lieutenant Rossbach had intrigued to obtain the neutrality of the Reichsweir.

The Court then closed the hearing to the public. \t.