MARCH ON BERLIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 847, 26 October 1923, Page 5

MARCH ON BERLIN.

COMMUNISTS IN GERMANY 'PROCEEDING BV MANY ROUTES. MEASURES TO INTERCEPT THEM. By Electric Telegraph-Copyright. Received October 26, 9.20 a,m. BERLIN, Oct. 25; Large bodies of Cortimunists are marching on Berlin from many directions. All the available police are being rushed out to intercept them.—A. gnd N.Z. cable. SEPARATISTS IN BONN. POLICE USE EIRE HOSE. Received October 26, 9.60 a.m. LONDON, Oct. 26. The Times’s Bonn ' correspondent says: “The German police witnessed the arrival of the Separatists from the windows of the Town Hall, in which they concentrated. As the leaders approached the steps of the bnilding they were greeted with powerful jets of water from the fire noses and they retreated, opening fire as they did so. The police for a tims held off the Separatists with truncheons and water, but eventually they. telephoned to the French that they, must in self-defence return the fire. French troops with tanks forthwith arrived. The troops entered the building and imprisoned the police and town councilors in two rooms. On their heels came the Separatists, who hoisted a flag. The French afterwards released 10 Separatists who had been made prisoners and returned their arms.”—'Times. SEPARATISTS’ ACTIVITIES. REPORTS OF “THE CONFLICTS. Received October 26, 9,20 a.m. BERLIN, Oct. 25. It is reported from Coblenz that 12 Separatists were killed and 60 wounded during the 36 hours’ siege of the town hall in Crefeld, where the police, barricaded behind barbed wire entanglements, made an energetic defence, only yielding after a portion of their forces had allegedly deserted to the Separatists. The latter have proclaimed a republic in a number < of towns, including Heweiler, Soden, Diez, Badema, Rudesheim and Gelsenheim. The position is easier ,irt Aix-Ia-Jhapelle and the resistance of the insurgents in Hamburg has broken, though small bodies of Reds are still scattered about in isolated parts of the town. The police lost 11 killed and 34 wounded. A demonstration by 6000 workers in Frankfort resulted in a collision with the police in which one workman were killed and several on both sides wounded. Food riots are reported in Marienburg and Allenstein, where the shops were pillaged.—Reuter. MINERS IN THE RUHR. NEARLY ALL BEING DISMISSED. Received October 26, 9.50 a.m., LONDON, Oct. 25. The Times’s Essen correspondent reports. that all the Ruhr miners, except those employed ’ in maintenance work, are being dismissed on the 29th inst. This decision has been reached in consequence of the complete breakdown of the negotiations with the French and the hopeless transport situation.—Times. CHAOS AND CONFUSION. PRICES STILL RISING. LONDON, Oct. 25. The Daily Chronicle’s Berlin correspondent says that chaos and confusion are worn-out terms in connection with Germany. Between l|d and 2d would buy, at the present rate) as many marks as there were in circulation before . the. war. Prices have risen 160 per cent, in 24 hours. Herr Contiz, an East Prussian landowner, the hastily appointed'Food Minister, has reintroduced bread cards and announces that the Government is buying corn itself and will re-sell it to the millers and fix the price of bread. As Germany has had one of the best harvests known, it must only be u question of distribution and persauding the juntas to release the flour which they are holding up. The correspondent is of the opinion that the Communists have failed in their big effort to capture the port of Hamburg, though, their , plans wore carefully laid. By seizing the railway stations and tearing up the suburban lines, they hoped to make themselves masters of the city. To prevent help coming from outside, trenches were dug in the Hamburg streets and barricades constructed by youths and men decorated with the Soviet star on their collars. They tore Up paving-stones, dragged seats from the restaurants, and cut down many fine trees. The police have now re-taken the greater number of the stations by means of attacks with hand grenades. Meanwhile, money is pouring into Bavaria from sympathisers with Hitler’s activist policy, not only Horn Germany, but from Czecho-Slovakia and Hungary, who believe the Bavarians are achieving military autonomy which will rouse the nationalist elements throughout the old German empire. Von Seekt has asked the Government to allow him to march into Bavaria and bring von Lossow and his troops to their senses. The greater part or the Gorman army favours military action against Bavaria and von Lossow. The Central News Agency’s Berlin correspondent states that ThySsen’s great works have closed, owing to financial difficulties. Fourteen thousand employees are idle.—A. and N.Z. cable. NOTE TO REPARATIONS COMMISSION. PARIS, Oct. 25. Germany has written to the Reparations Commission declaring that she is ready in principle to resume reparations deliveries, but is unable at present to find the finance. She requests the commission to undertake an in*, quiry into German resources and capacity, and also to allow the German representative personally to explain measures for revising the Budget and stabilising the currency.—A. and. N.Z. cable. FIGHTING IN HAMBURG. BERLIN, Oot. 24. Heavy fighting occurred at Hamburg to-day. A cruiser and three torpedo boats have arrived in the harbour. The people are in a state of high tensiofl, anticipating a general Outbreak of lawlessness and looting. Communists are entrenched 30 miles from the city, and soldiers are marching to the sCene. Sniping from windows and roofs continued alb night. The police are using machine-guns to control the docks, and the death roll is already 25. The proletarian militia at Bramen is

trying to bring about a general strike, and Has succeeded in closing the dockyards and Vulkan works, but elsewhere the response has been half-hearted. Strikes, rioting and street fighting are reported in many other districts.—A. and N.Z. cable. AN AUTONOMOUS STATE. ' J . BERLIN, Oct. 25. Various sources indicate tht the Palatinate, which hitherto has been part of Bavaria, is; being declared an autonomous German State.. One version attributes >< this discontent among the population to recent happenings at Munich. Another says the French representative on the inter-Allied llhineland Commission announced "the decision to members of the Palatinate Diet, in view of the dangerous situation in Bavaria. The president replied that > the Diet was not competent to deal'with the. matter.—A. and N.Z. cable!