GERMAN TRADE UNIONISTS AND THE CHANGELLOR.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14868, 17 September 1918, Page 6

GERMAN TRADE UNIONISTS AND THE CHANGELLOR.

SOilS PLAIN SPEAKING

c DEMAND FOR PEACE NEGOTIA-

TIONS'

\Australianjmd N.Z. Cable Association;

AfTJEterdam, Sept. 15

Tljo "P>eriiner Tagcbktt" reports re-

■ttiarkable proceedings at :.- trado union deputation to Couut Hertling, the German. Chancellor. Tile spokesman saicK the people- had become t-eriously discouraged by recent events, and felt ttiey were economically sinking. Food continued bad aiv*. dangerously insuftV ■cient and prices were extortionate coneoqxiently the bodily strength of the •workers' was declining. They must liave ir;ore meat and potatoes. Workmen's troupers 'which visod to cost four Eiarks now cost sixty, and lasted only a quarter of the time, and were unmendai?Je. The people's anger over the ; Prussian ■.suffrage had reached boiling ! point. Military censorship and martial law lay heavy on the trade unions, which iirged that now that the exhaustion of the eneir.y had begun and the fcroak through h.id'riailcd, it was tirao for peace by understanding.

Eertling assured the deputation that the political leader's and tho high command were striving for such a peaco. and were unanimously opposed to conquests. As'regards equal suffrage, he repeated the promise that if the Upper House failed to agree thereto the ILandtag would be dissolved.

Herr Wullruf. Secretary for ■ the Interior, promised th;:t the military would reconsider the right, of meeting and the censorship.

Herr Waldow, Secretary for Food Supplies, said that it was impossible to get more food. Meatless days must continue in order to ensure a milk and fat supply. The. potato CTop was worse than last year, and corn was only 15 par cent, better.

Baron yon Stein, Secretary of Stato, stated that substitutes for clothing must be utilised.

Colonel Braun } of tho War Office, promised to examine the.question of ehortening working hours/but this was impossible, in mines. s -

Socialist deputies, replying, said the Ministers' statements in regard to ..food arid hours showed that the situation ivas hopeless, but tho irorkers could tiv-t work the present hours.

Hortiing said the war would not last a moment longer than was absolutely nedsfisary for Germany's defence. He confidently hoped they were nearer peace than was generally believed.

. Erzterger told an interviewer that it was possible peaeo woi\ld come in a ehort time.

The "Cologne Gazette" publishes an -indignant article on the exposure of fene German "West Africa, atrocities, and cays bypocritical Albion thereby t\tibempts to conceal her jwvidntoiy instincts behind a moiv.l fig lo if.

■ The paper reiterate*, Ihf.t the return of the German colonies constitutes the ■fixed aim of the Gei'man- people. -"T