GERMANY AND DEMOCRACY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3234, 3 April 1917, Page 2

GERMANY AND DEMOCRACY.

TtlE LIEBKNECHT CASE. 1 had been in Berlin two weeks. I wanted to **e other portions of German v. 1 learned there was to be an official tour for journalists. 1 went to tho German press bureau (writes .uadeline Z. Doty, in the "Chicago Sunday Tribune"). ,„ . "(.•an I vi-it some pr:son camps.' inquired. "If you allow me and l nn !! thev are good 1 shall be glad to say so. The voung man in charge of the German pYess is keenly intelligent. He represents the civil authonties-the Von Hollweg group. There is a vast difference between the civil and minttirv authorities. The civil are much more liberal. They are eager to send news to America. 1 was told of a ninedav tour, which included a visit to two prison camps, and was invited to join tho expedition. An intelligent director conducts a group of reporters through the country. All expenses aro paid,, and the jonrnalists feted and feasted. I delayed my departure for a day. It was the moment of the Liebknecla trial, and I wished to l>o present in case of an uprising. Also bv this postponement 1 avoided the special car assigned 10 journalists and could pay my own railroad fare to Karlsruhe. ROYALTY MOURNS OFFICER. Berlin had been interesting. 1 was loth to leave. As I.came back to the Adlon for afternoon tea there wa« a great crowd around the entrance. A porsoD in much gold braid and military trappings stood in the hallway. a hushed awe pervaded tho plae. tho American reporters were standing humbly in corners. The roval princess was upstairs. She and others of the nobility were 011 thenway to a funeral. A Pru>«an officer wno had married into the German nobility had been killed at the front and the "relatives were attending his »«•■- era! Having had tea and readjusted their veils, tha royal party descended. Ine women were in deepest mourning, their veils *o thick that no f« ■■ "as visible. A sacred circle surrounded them, into which no one stepped, the crowd wis pushed back. Outsid* " re shming car; .n/e-.. :at ,n . prai h'-:.-* -" 1 the only t"t hor :n TJ. >od *pick and >i>>' it*. A silent crov.-u w-- -ed ' ! irant-e :nt« the coaches. 1 ■"; it pre lip e.'ose to tOIS bit of ' Ne'- da, «..« the liebknecht trial. ,Nn •. per amwunced it, but word had oeen passed to me by the Social Democrats. That day I was- up early. { 1 took a taxi and drove round and round the big grim barracks where webkneebt was imprisoned. But all was still. No crowd gathered. Bitterly disappointed by the lack of demonstration. I sought out some social intimate friends. 1 took two taxis and three trams to elude spies. These radicals were as disappointed as I that nothing bad occurred. Tho factory workers were to have made a protest. A large body was to have gone on striKe. A leaflet ctating the time and place for the demonstration wasrto have been distributed, but the leaflet failed to arrive. A big package reached Berlin, but when opened it contained a soldiers uniform. The Government had got wind of the polt and seized the leaflets, substituting the uniform No omdared make inquiries. MUNITION WORKERS STItIKE. Few people outside of Germany know of tho extensive revolt carried on b> tho radicals. The day of Liebknecht s imprisonment. 5500 workers in one munition factory alone, just outside Berlin, went on strike lor the entire day. There were similar protests throughout the country. The Liebknecht following grows. The workers more and more flock to hi' standard, to the infiinitc dissatisfaction of the major wing of the Social Democratic party. The demonstration that caused tiebknocht's arrest will go down in history. Several thousands were gathered in Leipzigerstrasse and Potsdammerplatz. They had come to talk peace. But when Liebknecht appeared a mighty shout went up from a thousand throats. "Hurrah for Liebknecht!" Liebknecht raised his hind for silence. Then steadily, though knowing the cost, he said : *' Do not shout for me, shout rather that we have no more war. Wo will have peace—now."

YOUNG WOMEN ARE ARRESTED. Two young women standing near polled his sleeve. " Don't." they begged, " it means the end of you." But the crowd had taken np the cry. " We will have peace now!" It went echoing down tho street in a mighty roar. Police were already at Leibkuecht's side. He >mi!ed at the young women and uaid: "Never mind, I am the best victim.'' But he was not the only victim. Tlie two young women, who never had met Liebknccht and had taken no part in the demonstration, were arrested. live number in prison is astounding. In Stuttgart 400 are serving terms. I Here air corresponding numbers in all big cities, but I cannot quote accur-. atcly. But these victims are not suffering m vain. The military authorities clap every Liebknccht radical behind the. bars, but tiny cannot stop the growing popular demand for jmtii e. J hey dare not. iltc major wing of the {Social Democratic party has taken ailrantage of thi.-. Throughout Germain iindei their peace meetings arc liriiig lieid. Everywhere people are signing a |>etitioii lor peace <m tlie Iwsis of ''status quovl before tlie war. As lone a.s the demands are kept to this, peace meetings are tolerated. No' to permit them would l«e fata' Thei> a low. ominous murmur ri»ing fr Die people. Must of tho lea«lers in Liebk' gTot>ps are in prison, l>nt the fo' light on: no .longer openly, they fear prison, but quietly ana sidiously. Present among the group of Social Democrats with which I talk<d was the young daughter of n prominent member. Her father i- at the front, lie was sent there despite all protest. ■'Thank God, I m nearsighted." h> said: '"naturally I will no%er kill anyone, and my failure to laud a bullet may be mistaken for bad eyesight, in which case i will get back to you. HN !6-ye*r-old daughter w a„ vivid and radiant o< a spring morning. She iin the thick ol the work her father left. Not long ago she and oflO boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 2<> had a demonstration. GIRLS SING 'MARSEILLAISE.' It was a holiday, and they went to tho country for a day of comradeship. Toward evening they came marching •>ack along the country road singing the "MarseillaNo." Orer them they

Lore a !>anncr which read: "We are the young guard of tho proletariat." I hey passed only one policeman on iSiory entry into the city. He was help-!tx-i before this indomitable 500. He could make no arrests, but he ordered tlumi to disband. Many of t!ie girls were clad in gvmnasium costume. Tho policeman was horrified. In factories and subways everywhere women wear bloomers, but this shocked policemas shuddered to see yotmg girls so clad. The young crowd surrounded the officer gaily. Laughter was on their lips> humour shone in their eyes, as they gave out wrong names and wrong adlrcsses. For a painful hour, with furrowed brow, tin* worried official wrote busily. To day he is- still hunting for those girls. It was with reluctance I took leave of this little r-dicaj group. It was late evening w. .1 I reached the Adlon. A spirit of excitement anl tenseness pervaded the street. It had all day. Policemen stood on every corner. An unusual number of spies were abroad. I*. seemed evident th" Government feared an uprising. But it had' planned .1 judicious stroke. For some time there had Iteen rumours that the Deutschland was back in Bremen. But if it was, the Government suppressed the fact. It kept that sugar plum for a psychological moment. That evening, when all toughts were centred On Liebknecht's fate, seemed tho needed moment. As I came down tho street a news sheet was slipped in my hand. These leaflets were being distributed gratis by the "Berliner Morjen Poat." In black letters across the tiage was "U Boat Deutschland eingetrotfen—am Bord Alles Wohl." A title thrill coureed through me. It w."s magnetic and contagious. LISITANIA NEWS DIFFERENT. It wa.s interesting to note the difference >n effect produced by this news and that of the sinking of the Lusitania. I was jn Berlin a year ago, just lifter the Lusitania disaster. Then the crowd was excited and angry. But no ;>ndo shone from eyes. The Dentschand news was different. It was is though a grenf gust of self-ros'>oct had Hooded the nttion. Next morning, hi«ld*-ii in tho hark xhoet-i of tho ; M pors. was a tiny pnra.■r.iph ~:' lines announcing that 1 :• iiK'necht had been sentenced to four ■.ear-.' imprisonment at hard labour. Hut spread ov*-? thfl entire paper in ','uiH letter<i was the Deutschland's r..rv. It was hard to not against a Government that had just done something of wheh all were proud.