BERLIN REBELS DEFEATED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 92, 13 January 1919, Page 5

BERLIN REBELS DEFEATED

SPARTACUS STRONGHOLDS STORMED ' GOVERNMENT READY FOR WAR FURTHER FIGHTING EXPECTED By Toleeraph-vPress Aesociation-CopjriElJt ■ London, January 10. The Spartacus revolution has definitely failed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SPARTACUS HEADQUARTERS STORMED. Berlin, January 9. , The Government troops stormed and rocaptured the Spartacus headquarters in tjie office of the Rotefahne, and destroyed .tho premises- Tho fighting reached a climax on Wednesday night, and many were killed or wounded during the .assault by Government troops on tho Wolff Bureau with grenades and .machine-guns. The fighting diminished on Thursday, and the. streets are now comparatively. .quiet.' The Government has oompletely won the day.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Asen. . "WAR TOWKNIFE" GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE. ; Berlin, January 10. Berlin advices state that the Government has issued a manifesto to the workers, the bourgeoisie, and the soldiers, stating that the Spartacusians are extending their domination over Berlin, and that Dr. Liebknecht has declared "war to. the knifo" against the non-Socialist population. Therefore the Government has accepted the challenge, and has appealed for .the formation of a Volunteer Republican Guard. —Renter. NEW SPARTACiIoVERNMENT A REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEEBerne, January 10. ' The .Spartacusians ljaye established a new Government, styled tli© _ Revolutionary Committee, comprising Liebknecht, Ledebour, and Tick.. Tiek is President of .the Spartacus League.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' / • LATEST NEWS . OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT DEFINITE WAR DECLARED ' ON THE REDS (Reo. January 12, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 9. Tbe German Government in a wireless communique states: "Excitement in' Berlin increased on Wednesday. Street fightjng became more lively and widespread. In view of tho further failure in negotiations the Government continued its efforts to assemble, the order-loving elements under a united organisation, arming them for the purpose, and systematically clearing, out the Spartacus nests at the Brandenburg Gate, the barracks,. tho main railway stations, and the police headquarters. There woro lively, combats, but no decision had been reached by tho afternoon. The Government" is determined to' persist, its cnorgetic. attacks, if necessary, bombarding Spartacus haunts, and ospecially the police headquarters, with artillery and aided by airmen in order to restore them to the ■possession of the rightful authorities. For' the first time since tho outbreak of the .revolution .economic life is seriously disturbed, and street fightinglias reached the acute Btago. The exact casualties'are not known, owing to the .destruction of the communications, but numbers have been killed, and tho number of injured is greater than hitherto. Sensational reports are deprecated. Foreigners and neutrals have not been hurt, but railway and tram traffic remains stopped. The students in Berlin have placed themsolves at Herr Ebert's and are forming a students' union-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A GOVERNMENT MANIFESTO VIOLENCE TO BE MET WITH VIOLENCE. ' (Rec. January 12, 5.5 p.m.) ■ London, January 9. , . Tho Government has issued .a manifesto to. the people casting the blame for ;the present violence upon the Spartacusians,' who seek absolute power. The manifesto adds: "The Government is taking the necessary steps to destroy this reign of terror. Violence can .only :be met with violence. The hour o: reckoning is approaching, and decisive action will not be long delayed." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable,Assn. EBERT ON HIS METTLE PREFERS BATTLE TO FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. (Rec. January IS, 5.S p.m.) Amsterdam, January 9. On Thursday the situation in Berlin was unchanged, but decisive .fighting was expected at finy jooment. The trains and trams had stopped. Their crews refused to operate them, declaring that it was .unsafe to travel in tho streets 1 while the Spartacusians were at large. Horr Ebert declares that he prefers battle to further negotiations. The Government believes that it is now able to overoome any armed resistance. A cavalry .division has arrived at the capital. The prevalent belief in Berlin is that American troops will be sent to restore order. Tho "Frankfurter Zeitung" compares the streets of Berlin on Tuesday' to a battlefield.' Artillery fire wascontinuous for six hours.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RED ATTEMPT TO CREATE A FAMINE. (Rec. January, 12, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 10. A Berlin message of Friday states that the Spartacusians are attempting to oreate .a famine, and have cut oif the water, gas, and .electricity_ supplies. The populace is panic-stricken. A. mob. stormed . the bakers' shops.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REDS DISCOURAGED. (Rec. January 12, 0.5 p.m.) 1 ' Amsterdam, January 9. Reports from Berlin state that the Spartacusians are discouraged by tho meagre .results of their attempt. Tho Government retains possession of tho .chief, buildings, including the Reichstag,. and has ejected the Spartacusians from tho State Printing Office. Tho R.eds stole eighteen million marks in paper money. The Government is con.centrating troops in the suburbs for the suppression of disturbances.—Aus.N.Z- Cable Assn. GOVERNMENT TROOPS POURING IN. (Rec. 12, 5.5 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 10. Great Government reinforcomopts are pouring into Berlin, including loyal

naval forces from Kiel. The directors of the railways declare that the railways are still in the hands of the Government. A number of trains are running.—lieuter. LIEBKNECHT NEARLY LYNCHED ARMED RESCUE JUST IN (Rec. January 12, 5.5 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 9. A message from Berlin states that Herr Liebknecht had a narrow escape in the Unter den Linden. Crowds assailed his taxi-cab, dragged him out, and were on the point of lynching him, when a party of armed Spartacusians rushed up and rescued him. Liebknecht, standing on the roof of the taxi-cab, addressed his supporters. The earlier success of the Spartacusians was due to the Government's lack of firmness. The authorities latterly recognised the gravity of the situation aiid adopted drastic measures. Herr Ebert's troops are superior in numbers and discipline, while the extremists have steadily lost in strength 'in the encounters during the past two days. Their position is practically Jwpeless,' and the Government expects soon to regain possession of the telegraph office. ' It is reported that, thousands of Russian Bolshevists have arrived in Berlin; disguised as German soldiers, and are joining the Spartacusians. The latter have proclaimed a red terrorism in Berlin. Liebknecht, draped in a red flag, and standing in a motor-car, announced tho formation of a new proletariat Government, with himself as President.—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REPORTED DEATH OF LIEBKNECHT KILLED IN STREET FIGHTING. (Rec. January 12, 5.5 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 11. It is reported that Herr Liebknecht was killed during tbe street fighting on Thursday. Serious rioting is reported from Hamburg, Dusseldorff, and Augsburg—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. OUTBREAKAT MUNICH MACHINE-GUNS USED AGAINST THE .REDS. (Rec. January 12, 5.5 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 9. There was a Spartacus outbreak at Munich on Tuesday. The extremists attacked the bank, but were ,repulsed by machine-guns.—Aus.-N.Z. -Cable Aesn. THE SPARTACUS PROGRAMME REPETITION OF RUSSIA. (Rec. January 12-13, midnight.) New York, January 9. Mr. Arao Dosch Flourot, in a message, states: "The members of the Spartacus Bund gave mo a programme of their 'intentions. _ They will disarm tho soldiers and police and others not belonging to the proletariat, and will control all arms and ammunition plants. TheJ' will establish • a revolutionary tribunal at which men guilty of prolonging the war will be tried, including the Hohenzollerns, Ludendorif, Hindenburg, and Tirpitz. They' will substitute a federation of States for tho Socialist republic. The first step will be the confiscation of privato fortunes and incomes, the cancellation of the public debt, including war loans, except small amounts subscribed by tho poor people. Banks, mills, andother commercial enterprises will bo confiscated. The leaders said they were determined to carry on, the struggle until a working-class government was established. They said they represented the aspirations of the working olass throughout the whole world."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. v AMERICAN EMBASSY BUILDING DAMAGED (Rec. January 12-13, midnight.) Berlin, January 9. Twenty_ persons who took refuge at tho American Embassy were killed, and the building was badly . damaged.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REPORTED RETURN OF LUDENDORFF UNDER GOVERNMENT'S PERMIT. (Rec. January 12, 5.5 p.m.) ; Copenhagen, January 9. Von Ludendorff /has received tho Government's permission to return. He has arrived at. Leipzig.—Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn. late chancellor Interviewed A LITTLE WHITEWASH FOR THE EX-KAISER. London, January 7. Prince Max of Baden, ex-Chancellor, in an interview with the '.'National News"'representative in Baden-Baden, complained bitterly of the maintenance of the blockade, and the Entente's insistence on the surrender •of railway material, which prevents the transport of tbe foodstuffs at present in , Germany. Prince Max snouted: "Why does not the Entente lift the curtain somewhat and show its intentions? Tho uncertainty of the 'future makes the people half mad and may drive them to despair." ■ He asserted, that tho ex-Kaiser did not desire the war, and up to the last moment tried to prevent it. He expressed the greatest pity for tho ex-Kaiser, and added: "From many' episodes in the ex-. Kaiser's life it evident that he was predestined to a tragic end. Fortune was not with, him; but his intentions were honest." He described Ebort as honest and ' well-disposed.—Aus.-N.Z.' Cable Assn. CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO GERMANY (Rec. January 13, 1.30 a.m.) London, January 10. According to a German wjroless message Messrs. G. Bernard Shaw, Israel Zaiigwill, Jerome K. Jerome, spiritual and intellectual leaders, jurists, and Labour leaders (including Mr. Smillie) have sent Christmas greetings .to the German people as follows:—"In the new era ahead, tho modelling of .which will be humanity's united task, it is our earnest hope >to step forward in peace and friendship with other nations, and thus transform discord into harmony. So will old evils disappear and in time a unity of nations be realised. We send you" a message of hope and friendship."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.