IN GERMANY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16418, 11 January 1919, Page 9

IN GERMANY.

CIVIL WAR IN BERLIN. MUCH BLOODSHED. * Cable.—Pross Associa'ion. —Copyright) (Australian and Jv.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON. January 8. The Amsterdam correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency states that tho latest accounts from Berlin show that Tuesday was. the Woodiest day i ll Berlin's history. It is reported that hundreds were killed. Tho Spartacus supporters were plentifully supplied Willi arms after the seizure of the arsenal. Fighting began on Monday, and continued all night long. Thoro wero numerous oneountors at Wertheim's Stores, the War Ministry, the Lcipsigerstrasse. and also at the barracks, where the troops u-sed minnonwerfers. There was a severe fight for the food office, which the Spartacus supporters capturcd. A detachment of Government troops sent an ultimatum to the Spartacus supporters to quit the Wolff Bureau in 10 minutes, but the Government troops then refused to attack, and marched away. General von Groener offered to take 40 regiments of trustworthy troops to the capital to assist the Government. It is believed that H'.ndenburg has already arrived. CONCILIATION FAILS. LONDON, January 8 It is reported that Herr Ehert and Herr Schoidemann on Monday addressed an enthusiastic meeting outside the Chancellor's palace, herr Schoidemann declared that the Spartacus Group had ordered himself and Jierr Ehert to be shot. He urged the crowd to resist the Spartacus Group. Those who had been militarily trained would receive arms. Dense crowds appearod in the streets I on Tuesday, and there was intense excitoment. The streets wore a 6tern military aspect. Tho Brandenburg Gate and surrounding buildings and all tho Government buildings bristled with ma-chine-guns. The Government served out flame-throwers.

Evidently the Government considers that conciliator;' efforts are doomed to failure. It offered to discuss general disarmament with the Spartacus Group, who had not responded. It is reported that the Government is endeavouring to seize Dr. Liebknecht. Spartacus supporters _ entered tho homes of many politicians, seizing papers though there was a notable absence of ordinary pillage. During Wednesday the Government and the Spartacus League held negotiations all aay to allay the tumult, but without result, as the leaders of both sides proved unable to control the mobs in tho streets. Herr jEbert states that in view of the disturbances the Government summoned its supportors during Sunday night to commence a general strike as a tremendous demonstration against tti£_terrorism and brutality of the minority. _ These demonstrations assumed gigantic proportions on Monday. The Government supporters throughout wore unarmed. Meanwhile, owing to tho attitude of the Spartacus supporters, shooting commenced' in the Unter den Linden and Potsdamerplatz. In the midst of the trouble a deputation of Spartacus supporters, with a white flag, approached a cordon of Government troops and demanded their surrender.

SITUATION MOST DANGEROUS,

LONDON, January 9. Herr Ebort states that while the troops were transmitting a demand by .tho commander they were treacherously fired at from behind, and suffered heavy casualties. The commander thereupon brought machine-guns into action, and cleared the streets. The Government has opened a recruiting bureau in order to arm members of the Social Democratic Party, and factories against terrorism. Other messages state that Berlin is separated' from the rest of Germany, railway and telephonic communication being broken. Tho majority of the country folk disapprove of the Spartacus agitation, and anger is growing at the weakness of the Berlin Government. The Bavarian Government has threatened to ensure quiet, by means of armed forces which will mercilessly crush the Berlin Bolshevists. | The "Frankfurter Zeitung" suggests ' that Germany should build a new capital as it would cost more to adapt the existing buildings to-requirements. The new capital might be named Friedenstadt. Tho "Daily News" describes the city as divided into two armed camps. The Government's camp has the Imperial Chancellory as its centre*, with the palace and surrounding buildings filled with soldiers. The Spartacus supporters have two centres —the office of the "Rote Fahn" (Red Flag), in the Wilhelinstrasso, and the police headquarters in tho AJexanderplatz, which are both surrounded by armed civilians. The situation is most dangerous, boause the Spartacus Grouo has taken 1000 guns from a factory, while flamethrowers and tanks are at their disposal. At least 25,000 armed civilians are now in the streets. Messages received from various sources from Berlin', including Herr Ebert's statements, circulated by German wireless, show that, following the course of recent events, the Spartacus League on Sundny joined the Independent Socialists under the haSf-crazy firebrand, Dr. Liebknecht, and attempted to seize power. The prime object was to stop the general election. Ebert and Scheidemann were taken unawares and nroved irresolute, but their personal'safety finally determined them to resist by force of arms. During the street fighting on Monday and Thursday, soldiers wearing steel helmets, fired rifles from windows, while machine-guns and grenades were freely used. One report says that 300 people were killed, incSuding 100 killed m the Wilhelmplatz and at the Brandenburg Gate on Tuesday morning. THE SPARTACUS POLICY. LONDON, January 9. The Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Express" sums up the Spartacus policy as a desire to carry on _ a class struggle against the bourgeoisie until Government by and for the working classes is established. The class struggle must be carried on until the proletariat Government is established everywhere in the world. The immediate aim is to seize all the food and disarm the police and soldiers except the proletariats, and to replace the old administrations by supporters of the proletariat. They aiso aim to establish a tribunal to try those guilty of causing the war, including the Hohenzollerns, General von Ludendorff, General von Hindenburg, Admiral von Tirpitz, and all counter revolutionaries. There must be absolute socialisation of the State; a six hours' day, unemployment insurance; the cancellation of all public debts except those in respect to money lent by the poor; and confiscation of all real estate, and all fortunes above a certain Sow level. „ ' The correspondent of the TJafly Express," who was an eye-witness of the fighting on Monday and Tuesday, motoring continually through the streets with guards provided by von Eichorn, describes three machine-guns as firing point blank into a mob at the Brandenburg Gate. There were other bloody incidents, but it was u *LP oSß '°' e to estimate the casualties. The Government troops at the_ Brandenburg Grate were ambushed behind the bronze horses which the Prussians stole from France in 1870. and which commanded four broad highways. After three attacks the Snartacus supporters forced the Government troops to hoist a white flag, and the gate. >

INSULT TO AMERICA. BERLIN, January 7. General Harris, head of the American Mission, was compelled to haul down the American flna at the Allon Hotel, in which the Allied representatives took refuge. RAILWAYS SEIZED. AMSTEHDOM, January 8. On Wednesday Spartacus supporters occupied the centra! railway offices at Berlin, after the Government Guards surrendered. ~ Tho whole of the German railway system is now in the hands of tho .Extremists. GOVERNMENT OVERTURNED. PARTS. January 9. It is reported that the Ebert Government has been overturned. BAVARIA~AFFECTEI>. PARIS, January 9. It is roported that civil war is sprewlino- to the Rhineland and Bavaria, lhe Spartacus Group has proclaimed -a new Government at Berlin. GOVERNMENT CLAIMS. BERLIN, January 9. The German Government troops have driven out the Spartacus supporters from tho most important positions m tho city. There is much artillery fighting. THE WAITERS' STRIKE. LONDON, January 8. Tho Amsterdam correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" states that the strike and lookout of waiters in Berlin lias spread to such an extent that the city is practically without hotels, restaurants, or cafes. The strikers, by pure terrorism, compelled tho lame establishments to close. They broke Hundreds of wine bottles, and stole vast quantities_ of eatables and cutlery. Tho police did not interfere - . -.-u Twenty thousand waiters are eitner striking or are locked out. EXTREMISTS DEFEATED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reecived January 10th, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 9. Latest telograms report tliat the Government troops are gaining the upper hand in Berlin. They have occupied all the public buildings. Various reports declare that the Spartacus Group has been beaten, and that thousands of Government troops are entering the capital. (Renter's Telegram*.) (Received January 11th, 1.50 a.m.) LONDON, January 10. Heavy fighting continues in Berlin.