LONDON PACT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 August 1924, Page 5

LONDON PACT

REICHSTAG SCENES

DISPLAY OF HOOLIGANISM. COMMUNISTS SUSPENDED. ET CABLE—PREBB ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT LONDON, Aug. 27. 'Hie Berlin correspondent of the Daily Express says the Reichstag was the scene of the worst display of hooliganism ever seen in any Parliament. Members with clenched fists rushed shrieking at each other, climbed desks and benches, clutched throats and tore each other’s hair until there was a >•'l Higgling, kicking heap on the floor. Some of the public shouted encouragement, to the combatants; others demanded the ending the disgraceful scene. When finally the dishevelled members picked themselves up the floor, rvas covered with collars, ties and bundles of papers which had been used as missiles.

The .Berlin correspondent of the Morning Post says the scene illustrated most clearly the overwrought state of feeling here. For days it has been 'taken for granted that failure to ratify the Dawes scheme would lead to nothing short of a catastrophe. Every- . one. even the Nationalist press, concluded that- the Nationalists as a. last • ytesort would permit, ratification, and the other parties have done everything to make the Nationalists’ retreat easy? The Nationalists deided to abide by the result of to-day’s meeting of the party, which by a large majority adopted a resolution for the rejection of the Dawes Bills, even the Rhinelanders opposing them. Its rejection of the scheme, to the general surprise and consternation, appears to end all > likelihood of a happy issue. Consequent on the Nationalist Party’s vote, all parties are preparing plans for an election. Disappointment and consternation at to-day’s , development is widespread, people recalling the hopelessness of the past year’s currency depreciation. / In the Ruhr struggle and the general impoverishment they see the most advantageous settlement ever likely to be offered to Germany jeopardised by a single party possessing no eonstnictive alternative to ratification. There was an exciting sequel to the morning’s disturbance in the Reichstag. On the resumption of the sitting the. President (Herr Wallraff) ordered the suspension of three Communists. The latter declined to depart and Herr Wallraff dramatically ordered the clearance of the public galleries while the ■ recalcitrants were forcibly ejected. Twenty-five detectives trooped into the Chamber and were greeted with ironical laughter and the singing of the “International” by - the Communists. The culprits finally departed peaceably. The Dawes Bills were read a second time, but a decisive reading was postponed to August 29, . when the closest voting is clearly forshadowed. to Oobgne reports the War Office has ordered the suspension ot all new works performed by the royal engineers in connection with the military requirements, except emergency repairs. '

_,. x • , TOKIO, Aug. 27. Cabinet hag instructed Mr. Hayashi Japaif n th 6 Txm(lon agreement for