KAPP HOLDS CAPITAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 1899, 16 March 1920, Page 7

KAPP HOLDS CAPITAL.

A DRAMATIC COUP D'ETAT. NOSKE'S FORCES UNRELIABLE. Bi/ Cohlr. — Presi Association. — Copyright. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, Mar. I.'!. The ringleaders of the German couu d'etat include Doctor Kapp, one of the founders, and one of the most fanatical members of the Fatherland Party, and Captain Pabst, Staff Officer of the Guards' Cavalry Division. The latter was prominent in the sunpression of the Soartacist rising in 1918, and was also concerned in the murders of Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. Both of these men disappeared when Noske believed that the conspiracy had been scotched. General von Luttwitz. commanding the first Reirhswehr Division, upon whom the Government was largelv dependent was suspected of complicity in the plot, but Hie only step taken was merely to relieve him of bis post. Noske states that he had evidence that the coup was intended to be attempted on March 6, but [he leaders disagreed, and postponed it. Even the public of Berlin were unaware of the plot before midnieht Fridav. At that hour a number of units ouarterod in Doberitz barracks disclosed Ibeir intentions, and hegan to move towards Berlin. Ehrbardt's Naval Pn'rjadc seems to r»ave taken the initiative. The Second Naval Rrigade then joined, and :>'so the bulk of the garrison, including a large mimh"r of von der Gollz's famous Iron Division, whose activities in the Baltic Provinces in 1910 caused the Allies to deliver an ultimatum for their withdrawal. It was well known that they were entirely under the influence of the Junker barons, who would probablv use them if the restoration of tljc was attempted. Herr Fhert summrme'l a mcelina of the Government, which sent two high military officers to meet the revolutionaries, and warn them. The latter made demands which the Government considered, and finally rejected. The revolulionarics then resumed their march on the cifv and occupied the TiergaHcn railway station, in the centre of the city, also the telceraph offices. The bulk of the Beicbswehr. and a nortion of the Civic Guards, sided with the revolutionaries, and the Government, seeing that resistance was useless, and. in order to avoid bloodshed. emitted the canital. announcing that tbev retained their Ministerial offices. Ebert and bis wife left at 5 o'clock in the mornine. Dr Kapp has issued a proclamation declaring that the National \ssembly had discharged its mandate by decreeing the Constitution and concluding peace. It was the new regime's intention to hold fresh elections and return to constitutional methods of government at the earliest possible date. Socialists Will Fight. Up to midday on Saturday, apart from the presence of troops at the Government buildings, there was little to indicate the success of the coup d'etat. There were no collisions and no violence. The people were apparently going about their business as usual, and the street traffic was not affected. A stronff militarv guard was stationed at the Hotel Adlon. General von Luttwitz. who signed certain proclamations jointly with Dr Kapp and Contain Pabst, was later appointed Minister for War, and issued his own proclamation, asserting that the new Government was not monarchistic. and would execute the terms of the Versailles Treaty. Nevertheless, the Social Democratic majority of the ousted Government have no doubt what the coup portends. They issued a manifesto when they learned that the revolutionaries bad heoun their march, stating that the "Baltic mercenaries" (who feared the consequences of the disbandment which was recently ordered), desired to put reactionaries in office. The manifesto continued: "We did not make a revolution in order to restore the bloodv Government of mercenaries. We refuse to enter into covenants with the Baltic criminals," and concluded: We shall fierht by all means for the preservation of the Republic. There is only one way to prevent Wilhelm's return. We must paralyse economic life by a general strike. Therefore, proletarians, unite! President Ebert and the Social Democratic Ministers signed the manifesto. It is noteworthy that the names of the more moderate section of the Government arc missing. It is reported that they arc remaining in Berlin, and are willing to co-operate with the new masters of Berlin. Noske had been long prepared to meet such an eventuality as to-day's coup. He maintained a Republican Corps d'Elite consisting of 10,000 of the most efficient non-commissioned officers of the German Army, strongly equipped with machine-guns, and forming an extremely mobile force, ready to proceed into any quarter of the city at a moment's notice. Barbed-wire barricades were at strategic points ready % be put into

position, but it appears that Noske also counted on the loyalty of the garrison. Visitors, recently returned from Berlin, declare that these i troops, or even the Corps d'Elite, \ must have proved unreliable. The Wily Monarchists. Noske on Friday evening w r a« fully acquainted with the intentions of the Doberitz garrison. The PanGerman newspapers were apparently in the secret, which explains why they attempted to reassure the public by declaring that the so-called plot was a mare's nest. The PanGermans had recently conducted an active propaganda, and had demanded Hindenburg as President. The Republicans regarded it as part of a plan to restore the monarchy. The Pan-Germans triumphantly acclaimed the verdict in the Helfferich trial, cheered him in the streets, and showered bouquets upon him. This demonstration was obviously of a monarchist nature, as Helfferich was notorious as one of Wilhelm's trusted Ministers, and strongly monarchist in sentiment. Another svmptom was the repetition on Friday of insults against Allied officers, notably in Bremen, where a motor car was stoned and windows smashed. According to reliable information, von Kuhlmann had lately been visiting the ex-Kaiser regularly and secretly at Amerongen, desnitc the vigilance of the Dutch guards. The well-informed Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" declares that Germany's persistent delay in disarming her forces, and the disturbances in the Middle East are all part of Germany's scheme to drain the Allies' military resources, and so cause a reduction of the armies on the Rhine, and pave the way for the restoration of the monarchy. On the other hand, "the "Evening Standard" says the Allies' military advisers have been aware of the trend of events in Germany, and rccentlv augmented their forces on the Rhine. There is nothing from Berlin to indicate any disorder, but a censorshin has been imposed on the foreign r-nble services, and the Social Democrat newspapers have been suppressed. '• ••«• "Observer" says Ludendorff and the chief reactionaries did not participate in the revolution, which was carried out by inferior personages. Either the revolt was premature or the chief reactionaries arranged it as an experiment to see how the Allies and the German people would act. It is advisable that the Allies shall not act for a few days, but allow the German nation to crush the revolt by a general strike. Kaisorism can only reestablish itself in Germany at the cost of civil war and industrial chaos. If the German people support the monarchists, the Allies must employ the sternest military, naval and economic measures to suppress the revolt. \ Although, according to one report, the persons responsible for the Berlin coup d'etat deny that the revolution aims at the re-establish-ment of the monarchy, there is no reason to doubt that that is the ultimate goal. The French newspapers stale that the Allied leaders had been aware for some time that such a coup was the daring consummation of the schemes of the Pan-Germans and monarchists, who onlv awaited the ratification of peace before putting their plans info action. The only public intimation of what serious events were brewing was Noske's announcement to the effect that a reactionary plot to undermine the loyalty of the troops and overthrow • he Government had been discovered. Noske, as Commander-in-Chief in Berlin, ordered the aurest of the four ringleaders, and held troops in readiness should a rising occur. Loval military forces are patrolling in the Government nuarter of Berlin with guns, machine-guns, and armoured cars. Barbed-wire barricades have been erected. The population is ouiet. Herr Bauer, Prime Minister in the Ebert Government, has issued a proclamation in Dresden urging the nation to support the Constitutional Government. A general strike has been proclaimed in Nuremberg, Magdeburg, Breslau, and in the Rhine and Westphalian mining districts. The black, red. and white dag has been hoisted in Bremen and Munich. Not a Blow Struck. Mi* Renwick. correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" in Berlin, cabling at 9 o'clock on Saturday night, says:—"Without striking a blow in its own defence the Socialist-Demo-cratic-Catholic regime has fallen and Berlin is completely in the hands of Kapp's Government. The city wears its normal aspect save for some barbed wire in the main streets, and soldiers, artillery, and machine-guns at commanding points in the centre of the city. It has been an amazing day and an extraordinary revolution. The rest;'rants are full and as gay as ever and the theatres are filled, though the dancing halls arc closed. "The revolution was carefully prepared at Doberitz, a suburb 12 miles west of the Wilhelmstrasse, where the Marine Division, under Captain Ehrhardt lay. Ebert's first com- 1 munique was so reassuring that Ber-

lin went to bed on Friday night believing that the Government had the situation well in hand. Noske's troops were seen marching in the chief streets during ftie night, and! armoured cars, field kitchens, and artillery were much in evidence. I now hear that the Doberitz plans were betrayed, but the leaders of thej revolution decided to precipitate a crisis when the ultimatum was received. It was evident that the Government had not a strong enough force to put up a fight, so they I ordered their troops to withdraw and make no resistance, and the Doberitz force marched into the square behind the Brandenburg Gate. Thus far the revolutionaries' plans have gone without a hitch. Big crowds are parading the streets and are allowed to satisfy their curiosity to the full.* KAPP'S JUSTIFICATION. A PROGRESSIVE MEASURE. (Router) LONDON, Mar. 14. The new Imperial Chancellor, Dr Kapp, has issued a lengthy proclamation charging the old Government with corruption. He instances the Erzberger case. He declares that the old Administration was incapable of warding off Bolshevism, which was threatening the nation, and alleges that the National Assembly continued to govern without a mandate, and illegally postponed the elections. The proclamation promises that the financial conditions of the Federal States will be constitutionally restored, that economic freedom will be restored to landed property, which will be properly taxed, and that strikes and sabotage will be 1 ruthlessly suppressed. The Government will hold the balance between Capitalism and Labour, shielding the worker against servitude. The proclamation concludes: "Work is the principal duty of every man. Germany shall be a moral community of labour." Dr Kapp's manifesto states that the overthrow of the Government is not a reactionary, but a progressive measure of patriotic Germans belonging to all parties for the re-establishment of law, order, discipline, and honest government. Dr Kapp declares that the former Government was reactionary. It suppressed newspapers, and arrested individuals for their political opinions, and also burdened the people with grievous taxation. The new Government is bent on preserving internal and external peace, and does not intend to revive the methods of a Government which is now "happily defunct and obsolete. We recognise that it is of vital interest to foreign countries that Germany must not have a Government which could and might endanger the peace of Europe." Dr Kapp, who is now Chancellor, in an interview, said the change of Government in Germany .did not mean the restoration of the monarchy. He was glad at the overthrow of Ebert, which was inevitable, and had been accomplished bloodlessly. He said his regime would stand for a strong Republicanism, but that the Government would ruthlessly suppress strikes and sabotage. Messages from Berlin to-day stale that Dr Kapn will act in conjunction with the Labour Party for the maintenance of order. The Government is endeavouring to persuade Labour to take office, suggesting the name of the wellknown leader, Koerstein. The success of the negotiations is doubtful owing to General von Luttwitz's attitude. The leader of the Independent Socialists has conditionally agreed to take office in the new Government. Fighting is reported at Frankfort, Dusseldorf, in the Rhine coalfiel Is, and elsewhere between the adherents of the old and the new regimes. Strikes, have broken out in many places, and the movement is expected to extend, except in essential industries. The military throughout Germany have mostly elected to support the Government. The new Cabinet's programme professes to consolidate old Germany and return to settled conditions, also to avoid extreme Nationalism. Dr Kapp offers to appoint a Coalition Government, including Majority Socialists, but insists that non-partisan experts must be chiefs of certain Ministries. Von .Tagow has been appointed the new German Foreign Minister. The Berlin correspondent of the "Weekly Dispatch" states that special guards protect the Embassies of the Entente Commissions. Members of the Republican Cabinet have surrendered at Dresden, where the garrison supports the ; conn d'etat. The Monarchists claim that they are receiving the general support of the whole country, except Brunswick and Magdeburg. The Berlin Conservatives and National Liberals announce that thev are willing to support Dr Kapp if he appoints experts as Ministers, and issues the election writs within 60 days. Herr Fhert refuses to negotiate with Dr Kapp. A telegram from Copenhagen states that the streets of Berlin were deserted on Sunday, excent for military patrols. All the electric power stations, the tramways, and underground railways have stopped, and the water supply has been cut off. Dr Kapp has ordered the arrest of Ebert and Bauer and will accuse them of high treason. No newspapers are beine published until midday on Monday. * News is being heavily censored by Tribitcb Lincoln, whom Dr Kapn has installed as censor of foreign telegrams. NO OPPOSITION. CONFLICTS IN PROVINCES. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, Mar. IX The latest reports received at Paris state that three members of the late Government were arrested. The others fled to Dresden. The new Government is meeting with no opposition in Berlin, but some disorder occurred in the provinces, i Many were injured during a conflict between troops and workmen in Frankfort. INDUSTRIAL ACTION. GENERAL STRIKE PROCLAIMED. (Router) . Hr.IU.IX, Mar. 11. A general strike has been proclaimed in Frankfort and Hamburg, where great processions of workers are parading the streets. The workers in the Ruhr Basin arc opposed to a general strike. WEDDING Photographs a speciality, taken either at your residence or in our studio. I Standish and Preece, photographers, 244 High Street. .11