ANGRY SCENES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2917, 1 November 1916, Page 5

ANGRY SCENES

GERMAN TREASURER HOWLED i DOWN ! MILITARY TERRORISM i ALLEGED ? APOLOGY OR RESIGNATION DEMANDED j 'i Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. • Amsterdam, October 30. . There were angry scones in the Beicb- \ stag on. Saturday during the debate concerning military arrests of civilians. Some of the deputies gave a long catalogue of instances of oppression. Even Government supporters joined in the condemnation. ; Herr Dittmau (Socialist) said that the military had established a reign. ! of terror, and tliere had been orgies of baseness and villainy. , Young girls j had been arrested and locked up with j prostitutes. i Dr. Helfferich's reply was constantly . j interrupted by angry exclamations. i Being unablo to pacify tho House, the sittings were suspended. Tho newspapers describe the sitting as ono of the noisiest sii.ee the war. : They bitterly resent Dr. Helfferich's of- ; fensive tone, and the declaration that 1 the Government restricts, for the duration of the wari the Reichstag Select Committer's control of tho foreign pol- . icy. . Dr.. Helfferich's apology or his resig- . nation is demanded. [Startling disclosures wer© mad® in the 'Reichstag during a debate on "preventive arrests." It was stated that 424 persons are now incarcerated, of • whom 189 are merely .suspected! of espionage. There are 1053 cases iu_ which . restrictions are imposed on residence. ; Tho military use arbitrary powers, and subject those they arrest to various i forms of mental torturo audi hardships. The prisoners include Eosa Luxembourg, whose influence was feared; girls of seventeen, and high diplomatists who had! represented Germany abroad. ; Socialist members alleged that "proven- ; tivo arrests" were being .employed .. against people who were politically objectionable. Dr. Helfferich. Minister . t for the Interior, defended the system,] - ;