A SANGUINARY DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15355, 2 October 1923, Page 5

A SANGUINARY DAY

BREAKING OF THE STORM.

A PANIC-STRICKEN CROWD. SEPARATISTS QUELLED.

Australian and N.Z. Cnble Assn. Received October 2, 10.30 a.m.

LONDON, September 30.

The Times' Dusseldorf correspondent was an eye-witness of the tragedy by which "Red" Sunday became doubly red.

It was a tired-looking crowd drawn from the struggling middle classes, all from Rhineland.

Two revolver shots, apparently from the Communists, began the trouble. The crowd became panic-striekf n and. the. Separatists and Rheinwehr Guards drew their firearms and elubs.

Moments of quiet ensued, but it merely preceded the breaking of the storm.

Somebody emptied his revolver and the slaughter began. The streets resounded willi the noise of shooting on every side. A hundred thousand people broke and ran wildly hither and thither.

One Separatist stood up and deliberately fired a dozen rounds into the flying crowds.

Gradually the panic-stricken masses squeezed their way from the street of death, and one saw glinting in the sun helmets of police advancing on the scene The Separatists, behind trees and corners, emptied their revolvers and pistols against the police, who were using magazine pistols and machine guns. ' The police advanced, and the Separatist fusiladers fled, leaving several dead or writhing on the ground. The shooting ceased after half an hour, and the police held the field while, the dead and wounded were removed.

About half an hour later French armoured cars, tanks, and cavalry arrived, but the bloodshed was not yet finished.

A dozen Rheinwehr ruffiians rushed a policeman, disarmed him, and beat him to death with leaden pipes, the doomed man covering his face with his hands and sinking to the ground. A similar murder was gnacled a few minutes later near the same spot. When the Separatists attempted to repeat these murders upon a wounded policeman, the French cavalry at last interfered. DR. VON KAHR'S POLICY.

CONNIVANCE WITH NATIONALISTS

CABINET THREATENED

Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn (Received October 2. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 30.

The Daily Express' Munich correspondent says Dr, Von Kant's policy is decidedly one-sided. Armed soldiers are searching the Socioaillsbs' quarters, though there have neen no steps to take arms from Nationalist organisations. It is openly boasted that "Munich alone can produce 70,000 armed men in an hour.

Socialist meetings are prohibited, but the Nationalists arc allowed to hold so-called family,' gatherings, one of which was attended by 1000 mon in uniforms and steel helmets.

The Separatists say if it leaves Germany Bavaria will not be compelled to pay reparations. The Daily Chronicle's Berlin correspondent says that storms threaten the Stresemanu Government. The Gcntro Party and Democrats are obviously uneasy. ...

NATIONALIST REVOLT FAILS.

CENSORSHIP IMPOSED

Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. BERLIN, October 1. The Nationalist revolt at Kustrin has failed.

A censorship has been imposed, as the campaign by the Nationalists is gathering .strength, and Dr. Von Kahr is tilting energetically against the Reich.

INSINUATIONS AGAINT POLICE. FOMENTED THE TROUBLE.' FRENCH MAKE SEVERAL ARRESTS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. (Received October 2, 12.30 p.m.) BERLIN, Sept, 30.

A despatch from Dusscldorf suggests that imported German plain clothes policemen were responsible for breaking up the Separatist demonstration. It asserts they mingled with the crowd and started ttie disturbance, upon which unit'ormed police fired on the demonstrators, many of whom were wounded and picked up by the French ambulances. The. police barracks were full of wounded. It is reported that some of the demonstrators were killed.

A detachment of French troops and gendarmerie afterwards occupied the police barracks and arrested Hie police.

REVOLTING SAVAFGERY. FRENCH* ALLEGATIONS. AND GERMAN DISCLAIMERS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. Received October 2, 11.45 a.m. PARIS, October 1, Adivccs from Dusscldorf state "Revelling savagery" is the term applied in the French communique to the conduct of the German police in pursuing and shooting the separatist demonstrators, after bring upon Hi cm without provocation, though the occupation authorities ordered them to remain in Iheir barro'cUs.

The communique says: Sixty wounded, of whom 2ii are serious, were sent to Ihc hospital. The French troops restored order by six o'clock in Ihc evening, after which hour traffic was prohibited, while they were busy arresting the police. It is also slated thai a high official was involved in Hie disorder.

The communique declares that lflOO Communists, who were drawn up half a mile from the demonstration, did not intervene.

BERLIN, October 1

A semi-official statement declared that the police did not intervene in the Dusscldorf emeute till several of their, officers were and one shot by the Separatists. The latter summoned the French military, wtio disarmed the police, and afterwards permitted Ihem lo he ilt-lrcalcd. The revolutionary movement originated by Iho Nationalist organisations, has broken out in Kustrin, 50 miles from Merlin. The insurgents attempted to disarm the gari'ison, \yho ociyjj^-a,

fortress, bat were repnlsed. The Nationalist leaders were arrested by the Reichswehr in the neighbouring towns. Troops have been ordered to suppress the revolt ruthlessly, and the Minister of Defence has imposed a censorship on military news.