SHORT-LIVED REGIME

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10542, 19 March 1920, Page 6

SHORT-LIVED REGIME

THE BERLIN DEBACLE SOVIET REPUBLIC PROCLAIMED IN CAPITAL. KAPP WITHDRAWS REVOLUTIONARY TROOPS. RETIREMENT FROM LEADERSHIP. By Telegraph—Press Assu.—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received March 18, 10.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 18. A Soviet Republic has been proclaimed in the Berlin working-class districts, and threatened to arm tho workers unless tho troops were withdrawn. Dr Kapp yielded in face of this threat. A later message states that Dr Kapp has retired from tho leadership of the revolt. EBERT RETAINS PRESIDENCY. ELECTIONS FIXED FOR NEXT MONTH. LONDON, March 15. Tho Central News Agency states that the Berlin crisis ended abruptly. Ebert and Kapp have arrived at an agreement that Ebert will remain in office (as President), pending new elections to bo held within two months. Kapp abandons his intention to form a Cabinet, but Ebert is to summon a new Cabinet consisting of experts. Tho elections in Germany have been fixed for April 14th. Prior to the announcement of the settlement between Ebert and Kapp it was reported that the Government had been overthrown in Bremen and Hamburg. FIGHTING ’IN BERLIN SUBURBS. LONDON, March 16. There was fighting in the suburbs of Berlin on tho afternoon of March 15th. The soldiers used machine-guns, and numbers of people were killed or wounded. . A belated report received yesterday stated: A Foreign Office dispatch states that there have been military coups in thirty-five German towns. The new Government’s position appears to he strengthening. There has been fighting in Breslau, Leipzig, and Chemnitz. PRUSSIAN INTRIGUE, FOMENTING WIDESPREAD UNREST. (Renter’s Telegram.l LONDON, March 13. Tho “Daily Telegraph" quotes a well-known statesman of considered judgment, who declares that von Kuhlmanu has recently been visiting the ex-Kaiser at Amerongen twice a week secretly at night, and is a direct connecting link between Amerongen and Erzeroum. Furthermore, Germany is directly associated with the Bolshevik and Pan-Islamic movements in Central Asia and Asia Minor, and also with the Magyar Government’s recall to tho colours of thirty-five annual classes of troops. Tho statesman emphasises that Berlin is inspiring Horthy’s move as well as Mustapha Kemal, with a view to deflecting from Western Europe as many Allied troops as possible, so as to render enforcement of the disarmament clauses of the Treaty difficult, and tho eventual restoration of the Hohenzollerns easier. Ho points out that Germany’s armed forces total approximately 900,000, although it is stipulated that they must bo reduced to 200,000 by April. ■ A BOMBARDMENT. RBVOLUTTONAY CRUISER CAUSES HAVOC. (Received March 18, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON. March 17. The crow of the cruiser Eckenfonde, lying in Kiel harbour, declared for the Kapp Government and opened a bombardment against the fort and also against street processions. Between 400 and 500 demonstrators taking part in the latter were killed and many houses were demolished. It is reported that the marines stormed the shipyards and disarmed the workers.