IN GERMANY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16417, 10 January 1919, Page 7

IN GERMANY.

THE SPARTACUS COUP. REASON OF ITS SUCCESS. (By Cable.—Pr®s« Association.— -Copyright.) (Australian and X.Z. Cablo Associ.tion.) STOCKHOLM I. January 7 The Rotterdam correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" states that the startling i'act has been disclosed that the "Workers' Councils have. taken precautions to retain strong military forces m readiness for a crisis. The Councils have so arranged that the demobilisation is releasing only those not posse - ing the revolutionary spirit, mostly th indubious, sober elements, who a anxious to return to their homes at • earliest moment. Thus the remain o now under arms is a Red army, with which is associated many diso de y characters, who prefer a Bolshevist regime to the resumption of civil work. Herein lies the secret of the success of tlie Berlin coup, which was evidently carefullv orepared to take Herr Ebert bv surprise, but the counter-measures are likely to plunge the capital into civil war. TREACHEROUS TROOPS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received January 9th, 7.30 p.m.) BERNE, January 8. Advices from Berlin show that the initial successes of the Bolshevist Communists were duo to the treachery of the troops guarding the public buildings. In spite of their previous oath of loyalty to the republic they laid down their.arms and sided with the Communists. The outbreak was largely due to Russian Bolshevists ordering their accomplices, von Eichorn and Dr. Liebknecht, to prevent at all costs the election of a Constituent Assembly. FIGHTING IN MANY QUARTERS. LONDON, January 8. The latest news from Berlin states that fighting has occurred in many quarters, though there has been little bloodshed thus far. Dr. Liebknecht and von Eichorn are loading the revolt, with the police presidency as thoir headquarters. STATE OF STEGE DECLARED. (Australian and N.SS. Cable Association.) (Received January 9th, 9.5 p.m.) BERLIN, January 8. The Government to-day declared the city to be in a state of 6iege, the negotiations with the Spartacus group being restiltless. The latter appealed to the workers to meet at th,e Sieges-Allee to complete the proletariats victory. The Government has ordered the troops of nearly all the garrisons to come to Berlin in motor-cars. (United Service.) (Received January 9th, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, January Bth (midnight). There is incessant fighting at Berlin. The Spartacus group gained the railways, thus preventing reinforcements from reaching the Government. The struggle is spreading to the provinces. - TRAGEDY AND COMEDY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received January 9th, 7.30 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, January 8. Details of the fighting at Berlin on Tuesday are lacking. It is believed that the Government was triumphant. The Spartacus attacks on the Chancellor's palace were frustrated, twenty attackers and three defenders being killed. Spartacus supporters hold the police headquarters, the State printing offices, the railway offices, and the railway administrative offices, also the arsenal and munition depots at Spandau. Government troops, armed with ma-chine-guns, have occupied the Wilhelmstrasse and Wilhelmplatz, also positions opposite the newspaper offices which the Cpartacus group hold. During Monday's street fighting, when machine-guns were firing and bombs falling from windows, cinema operators energetically took pictures of the scene. ARSENALS SEIZED. (Beater's Telegrams.) (Received January 9th, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 8. Berlin advices, dated the 7th insfc., and received via Berne, state that Herr Ledebour and three other Parliamentarians disucssed with the Government measures to avoid further bloodshed, and a truce was reached, the Spartacus group apparently accepting the Government's conditions, namely, the disbandment of all supporters excepting soldiers, the immediate evacuation of all buildings, and the submission of von Eichorn. A later message 6aya that the Spartacus group seized the arsonals at Spandau and fighting continued in Berlin all night. Von Eichorn, for the time being, is master of the situation. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" states that the Spartacus forces were ejected from the Chancellor's palace, but still occupy tho post office.

SOUTH GERMANY QUIET

GENEVA, January 8. Vienna telegrams with Berlin and Munich have been interrupted since midnight on Sunday. Swiss papers aro of the opinion that civil war has broken out. Women are taking an active part in the riots. The fact that the Allied Armies are on the Rhine, and would immediately interfore, is keeping South Germany Von Eichorn has established himself at the police" offices in Berlin, with soldiers of"tho "security force," who have taken an oath to defend him to the last. TURMOIL AT CUXHAVEN. COPENHAGEN, January S. Reports from Cuxhaven state that officers and marines made a determined attempt on Saturday to overthrow the Soldiers' and Workmen's Council. The la tiers troops recaptured the town, occupied the barracks, and arrested leading citizens as hostages. THE POLISH INVASION. AMSTERDAM, January 8. Fierce fighting is going on between the Poles and Germans for Bentschen. a railway junction in East Germany, 40 miles west of Posen. which is most important for tho feeding of Germany. (Received Jnrunrv 9th, 7.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON. January 8. Polish Headquarters here deny that tho Polish Army has any intention of marching on Berlin, and say that the statement is merely T>art of the German propaganda. The Polish Army is organising to defend Poland against the Bolshevists. EXTENSION OF POWER. ("Renter's Telegrams.) (Received January 10th. 1.10 a.m.) PARIS, January 8. Advices from Berlin state that at Dusseldorf, Muelheim, and Oberhausen, the Spartacus Group has seized power and proclaimed the sovereignty of the proletariat on the Russian model.