GERMANY

Evening Star, Issue 17313, 29 March 1920, Page 4

GERMANY

THE REDS WAGE WAR. BATTLES IN THE RUHR VALLEY. Press Associafcon-By Telegraph-Copvri fi ht. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association m. .t* -, L °NDON, March 25. ine Daily Chronicle's' Essen correspondent states that the Workers' Council m the Ruhr Valley are busy organising members for war against the Government's Reichswehr troops. Hie present object is less the establishment of communism than the overthrow of the Reichswehr,- who are always suspected of reactionary designs, | especially their officers. The workmen's leaders are endeavoring to create a unified command. Hitherto the warfare has been of a guerrilla nature. When a battalion of the Reichswehr entered Dortmund, flying the old German colors, the workers refused to "believe that they were Government troops, and surrounded and took them prisoners. Their success at Dortmund encouraged the workers, who began to march on various towns in the district, gaining adherents as they went. There has been continuous rifle and bayonet fighting, with heavy losses off both sides. The upshot of the fighting was that all troops were expelled from "the Ruhr district. Latest information is that the opposing troops are concentrating- at )\ e ™k lel ' e 6 ' ooo Reichswehr troops faco 15,000 workers. Both, sides possess artillery and are digging themselves in. Many isolated battles are reported. The Independent Socialist newspaoer, 'Ruhrecho/ has issued formal military communique, claiming that the workers have captured 11 guns and 3,000 rifles. GOVERNMENT'S TERMS. THE ARMISTICE IGNORED. _ _ LONDON. March 26. lhe Reds at Essen rejected the Government terms, avowing Communism, Thev claim to have occupied Wesel. THE HAGUE, March 25. The Communists, ignoring the armistice, bombarded Wesel for a whole clay with 9in guns. The Government aro bringing up reinforcements. The Communist forces, winch are now estimated at 120,000, are advancing on Lippe. THE ALLIES' POLICY. RIGHT-OF-WAY GRANTED. , ni r PARIS, March 25. fhe Council of Ambassadors have considered Herr Bauer's request to be allowed to send 100,000 German troops to the Ruhr Valley. The French Government are opposed strongly to the granting of permission to allow such a large force to* pass into the. neutral zone, despite the fact that 12 German battalions which were originally sent failed to maintain order. Communications aro now passing between London and Paris. . It is understood that the Supreme Council have agreed to allow Germany to despatch sufficient troops to the Ruhr Valley. CABINET RECONSTRUCTION. BERLIN, March 25. The Government have arranged an armistice with the Reds, which is renewable daily.. Herr Bauer (Premier) has completed his new Cabinet. He has dropped Herr Nnsko and Herr Erzberger. Xo Independent Socialists are included in the Ministry. The general strike lias been called off. DEMAND AND WARNING. BERLIN", March 25. The Democrats and Pkirulists demand the retiremenJt of the whole Cabinet, while the Centre Party wish merely to fill the vacancies in Herr Bauer's Cabinet. The prospects for a purely Labor Government are small. The American Charge d'Affaire's interviewed Herr Bauer, warning him that any outrage against the constitutional Government of Germany, from whatever side, will lead to America's stopping all supplies of food and raw material. PARIS, March 25. 'Le Matin* aays it is likely that Herr Ebert will follow lierr Xoske's example and resign. The paper also states that the National Assembly will be transferred from Berlin. A DRAFT AGREEMENT. BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND WORKERS. Reuter's Telegrams. COPENHAGEN, March 25. A draft agreement between the workers and the Government in the Westphalian industrial region in drawn up. lif provides for the disbandnient of the reactionary troops, and the formation by tho workers cf committees cf Reichswehr, composed of three men out of every thousand inha-bitants, -which force will displace the Citizens' Guard. The agreement stipulates that the advance of' the Government troops shall not be carried out if the previsions aro loyally kept, while martial law hj to be 'raised immediately, a general amnesty for the workers, police, and citizens being granted. SEVERE FIGHTING. 'BER.LT N, March 26. There has been severe fighting at Wesel fat the junction of. the Lipne and the Rhine in Northern Westphalia) despite the armistice. Crowds gathered at Essen Town Hall watching fhe departure of armed workmen for the front. Their only uniform is a red arm-band and a cap-ribbon. Reports from the Ruhr district state that the workmen suffered heavy losses. The Government troops captured an armored train. ROTTERDAM, March 26. The booming of guns in the direction of Wesel is continuous. The Rods broke the armistice terms by refusing to retire lwhind the Lippe, and thev bombarded Wesel all day long. Then thev advanced on the town. It is reported"that the town has been capture^. The Reds are also attacking Munstar (north-east of Wesel), whence "the heavy booming of guns is heard on the frontier.' The leaders'of the Reds claim that they have an army of 120.000. They say their only object is to destroy militarism, and that any attempt to disarm the workers will unchain terrible civil war. OFFICE NOT SOUGHT. AMSTERDAM. March 27. Herr Dueller, who was Bauer's Forei-m Minister, has failed to form a Cabinet."