THE CENTRAL POWERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 28

THE CENTRAL POWERS

A REVOLUTION FEARED. (By Cable.) LONDON, May 17. There has been further street lighting at Stettin (Pomeranian Baltic port). The crowd stormed the prison and released the prisoners and plundered the shops. The town has been declared in a state of 3iege. COPENHAGEN, May 21 (delayed) Berlin is . apprehensive of another revolution and an army outbreak. The Independent Socialists are carrying on a bitter propaganda, flooding the suburbs with pamphlets urging the people to fight against the Government, which is described as the enemy of the proletariat. LONDON, May 21 (delayed). A Berlin wireless message states that a big strike movement is in progress at Konigsberg, including vital industries. The middle classes declared a counterstrike, affecting bankers, doctors, chemists, and shopkeepers. Vogel, who was imprisoned for the murder of Rosa Luxemburg, has escaped. A man wearing an officer's uniform called at the prison, presented forged papers, and was permitted to carry Vogel off in a motor car. A RHENISH REPUBLIC. LONDON, May 30. Berlin telegrams report indignation in Government circles at the announcement that a Rhenish Republic has been proclaimed. The German Government has issued a proclamation that anyone attempting to dissolve the unity of the Rhine province with Prussia will be punishable with a life sentence. The movement in favour of a republic is supported by commercial and financial circles in the Rhine province. It is their hope that they may thus escape the financial ruin which is threatening the rest of Germany. If France be willing they would include the Rhenish Republic within-the French Customs Union; if France be -unwilling to do this the Rhinelanders would prefer to become French altogether. BERLIN, May 30. Herr Hirch, Premier of Prussia, informed the Prussian Diet that Dr Froderger, on behalf of the supporters of the proposed Rhenish Republic, had secretly negotiated with the enemy with a view to establishing a neutral State under the League of Nations. NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA. AMSTERDAM, May 19. It is learnt that the German Government's reply to Lenin's offer of alliance stipulates that the Soviet system, in Russia must be transformed into a Socialist Government. Then Germany will be prepared to conclude an alliance and lend experts to reorganise the Russian railways. It is not likely that Russia will accept this proposal. LONDON, May 20. A Berlin wireless message states that the Ukrainian Central Executive at Kieff adopted a resolution protesting against the Entente's severity towards Germany. DEPRESSED GERMANY. LONDON, May 17 (delayed). . The Daily Express Berlin correspondent says hundreds of thousands of Germans intend to emigrate to South America, Canada, and Australia in order to avoid taxation. The official departments are planning to regulate emigration. A Berlin telegram, via Copenhagen, states that' a British fleet is anchored off Memel (East Prussian port), and it is expected that the British will shortly occupy the city. BERLIN*, May 19. A Government wireless states that there was a great drop in prices when the Stock Exchange reopened, in some cases as much ks 40 per cent. The decline in State loan and shipping shares is specially noticeable. AFFAIRS IN BAVARIA. THE HAGUE, May 16 (delayed). The arrest of Extremists in Bavaria is regarded as the final suppression of Bolshevism. Serious riots have occurred at Stettin. Prisoners released from barracks besieged the shops and looted some. Germany, generally, however, seems to be responding to a new national feeling. The fact that the Red Army in Bavaria has already surrendered 169 field cmns, 21,352 rifles, 760 machine-guns, 300,000 grenades, and 8,000,000 cartridges shows the magnitude of the peril that has been averted. . AMSTERDAM, May 18 (Delayed). Ignoring the state of siege, the Young Men's Christian Association at Munich held their usual meeting, and were arrested. Government troops entered the prison, and, believing them to be Spartacists, fired, killing 20 of them. ANOTHER MAD KING OF BAVARIA. LONDON, May 30. The Daily Express Geneva correspondent states that the ex-King of Bavaria has gone mad. He has violent fits, in which he declares that Bavaria won the war, and he desires to return to Munich in triumph at the head of his victorious army. [Bavaria has been unfortunate in the mental incapacity of her monarchs in recent years. King Louis was seized with a form of lunacy' \xhich expressed itself in building castles all over the country. He was succeeded by Kinc Otto (his brother), whose lack of mental balance was such that his cousin Leopold was proclaimed Recent. The latter died in 1912, and Ludwig succeeded him, ascending the throne In 1913 owing to Otto being deolared incapable of ruling. Ludwig 111 is 74 years of ago.] ANARCHY IN HUNGARY LONDON, May 16 (delayed). Hungary haa appealed to the Ukrainian

Soviet army to come to her assistance. It was pointed out that if the Rumanians conquer Hungary they will then turn against Ukxainia. THE HAGUE, May 16 (delayed). Vienna messages show that the Hungarian anarchy is increasing. There is considerable fighting in the provinces, and massacres of peasants have been reported, because they refused to sell food to the Bolshevised towns. A party of Red Guards raided a village and the peasants took refuge in a local castle. The Bolshevists brought up artillery, whereupon the besieged peasants surrendered. Their leaders were murdered and crucified on church doors. A queue of women in Budapest, after vainly waiting at a butcher's shop, -tore three Red Guards to pieces. The murdered hostages include three ex-Mimsters and two ex-State secretaries. A NEW GOVERNMENT. VIENNA, May 15 (delayed). A counter Government has been formed at Arad, in Hungary. The Premier is Herr. Julius Karolyi, cousin otf Count Karolyi. The Government, in a manifesto, declares that it is transitional. Its task will be to repair the Bolshevist ravages, restore law and order, establish friendly relations with the Entente, and abolish the Communist institutions. PARIS, May 21 (delayed). The Hungarian deputation has arrived at Belgrade, offering the Hungarian throne "to Prince Alexander of Serbia. The Allies have decided to lift the blockade from Hungary immediately any stable Government is formed at Budapesth, even one headed by Belakun. THE POSITION IN " SILESIA. LONDON, May 20. The Daily Chronicle correspondent visited Silesia, and found the fire of revolt burning among 1,500,000 people out of a population of 2,000,000. Despite rain and cold demonstrations were made against a proposal tq give the Silesian mines to Poland. It is pointed out that the people's sentiments overwhelmingly support this attitude.

A German leader declared that the entire working class was preparing to defend the home soil, and 1000 people with upheld hands, swore in unison : "We will remain free till death rather than enter Polish slavery." -The correspondent adds that the people are in deadly earnest, and will not submit to control by people of lower culture. He states that a Polish attempt at the occupation, of Silesia will precipitate a bitter and bloody war. INVITED TO INVESTIGATE, LONDON, May 17 (delayed). A commission of the Berne International Labour Congress has accepted an invitation from the German Majority Independent Socialists to send a deputation to Germany to investigate the situation and report to the International Labour Congress. Mr A. Henderson (England), M. Wibout Holland), M. Mistral (France), _ and M. Huysmans (Belgium) will constitute the deputation. The date of the visit will not be fixed till peace is signed. POLES AND RUMANIANS JUNCTION. LONDON, May 31. A great Polish offensive has been begun on the whole front in Eastern Galicia. The junction of the Poles and Rumanians now cuts off the Hungarians from the Russians.