BERLIN'S SANGUINARY STRUGGLES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 95, 16 January 1919, Page 5

BERLIN'S SANGUINARY STRUGGLES

SPARTACUS STRONGHOLDS ATTACKED FIGHT FOR THE NEWSPAPER OFFICES MOBS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE CAPITAL By TcleEraph-Prese Association-Copyright London, January 12. A message from Copenhagen on Saturday night states that the Government troops attacked all the Spartacus strongholds in the afternoon, and surrounded the newspaper district. After a hard struggle they captured tho "Yorivacrts , ! building. Ledeuour and other leaders who were inside were taken away, under escort, and 125 dead Tiudies were found in the building. The troops are'still attacking the "Berliner Tageblatt" building. Snartacusians brought great quantities of weapons to the large Boltzow brewery, which was strongly fortified, and from which Eichorn and Radel; were directing the battle. Radek is keeping up the spirits of..tho Spartacusiaus by continually declaring that a Russian army is on its way to Berlin. Two thousand Spartacusiaus in Hanover commandeered a train coming to Berlin, and mobs from all parts of Germany are making their way to the capital.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable _ Assn. Copenhagen, January 12. Herr Noske, who is in command of four regiments, many of them volunteers, has recaptured the greater part of Spandau,' and also captured and shot the Spartacus leader. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" states that the Spartacusians barricaded the "Vorwaerts" office with large reels of paper, and posted machine-guns behind them, and also in tho windows. . The Government's artillery demolished part of the front of the building, burying some of the defenders under the debris. The others fluttered handkerchiefs and white paper from the windows, proclaiming their surrender, : and three hundred were captured.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. CRIMINALS FLOCKING TO THE CITY ' LOOTING AND RAIDING THE SHOPS. London, January 12. The "D.aily Chronicle's" correspondent at Rotterdam states that thousands of criminals have flocked to Berlin, and arc participating in the looting''and raiding of shops. They secured arms by joining tho Red Guards, and also motor lorries, by the aid of which they organised bands of criminals to carry out extensive pillage. Despite theetroet fighting thousands of sightseers gather in the streete, but hurriedly fly when firing is heard. Tho street hawkers are becoming accustomed to. the fighting, and do not remove their stalls unless the firing comes closo, when they retire a few yards up a side street, returning as soon as firing ceases. The sightseers also return, and the shops resume business. Organgrinders, mouth-organ players, and other street musicians continue playing amidst the firing, and the street beggars remain at their posts.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

RENEWAL OF THE FIGHTING THE SPARTACUSIANS' DEATHROLL. Copenhagen, January 13. After a brief armistice on Saturday fighting was renewed in the newspaper quarter of Berlin, and continued all night. Thirteen thousand Government troops reached Berlin on Saturday, making a total of forty thousand. The Spartacusians killed since the outbreak are estimated at thirteen hundred, including four houndr'ed' around tho "Vorwaerts" office. The troops arrested Herr Ledebour at his residence.—■ Aus.-N.Z. Cable. Assn. AGREEMENT TO CEASE < HOSTILITIES. (Rec. feraary 15, 7.10 p.m.) Amsterdam, January 13. A semi-official message from Berlin states that the Government troops and the Spartacusians signed an agreement on the evening of.January 10 by which the Government undertook not to receive reinforcements aud to cease hostilities, the resumption s& which was subject to twelve hours' notice.— lteutcr. . • LIEBKNEOHT'S DEATH NOT VERIFIED. (Rec.. January 15, 7.10 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 13. There is still no verification of. Liebkuecht's death. Indeed, he has been reported as speaking at Berlin on January 11. It is difficult to sift facts from the mass of conflicting reports.— Reuter. '• FLIGHT OF LIEBKNECHT AND ■ EICHORN. (Rec. January 16, 1.30 a.m.) ' London, January 14. Berlin advices state that Liebknecht fled to Leipzig and Eicliorn to Denmark.—Reuter. INDISCRIMINATE FIGHTING "ONLY A STAGE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY MARCH." (R«c. January 15, 7.10 p.m.) The Hague, January 13. Estimates of the killed and wounded in Berlin are mostly worthless. The lighting is indiscriminate aud scattered. Half-grown lads swarm in the streets, often shooting for pleasure. The "Hotefahno," in an article, mocks at the fury of the Berliners, and says: "Qeunlemen, you will suffer many days of intolerable wretchedness. Peace and order will not return for a long time. The present experiences are only a subordinate part in one -s£age of the gigantic revolutionary march." —"The Times." SPARTACUSIAN REVOLT BROKEN MILITARY DISARMING THE POPUi LATION. (Rec. January 16, 1.30 a.m.) London, January I' 4. Advices from Berlin stato that tne Spartacusian revolt is broken. Military operations practically ceased on January 12, after which there was .only desultory firing in the newspaper quarter. The newspapers are now republishing. Tho Minister of War declares that the military are now disarming the population, and a systematic search has begun. Owing, however, to tho food shortage,, tho future is pregnant with difficulties for the Government, as future support from tho soldiers and the civilians largely depends on better supplies, but it is authoritatively stated that the shortago is likely to be worse than reported. —Reuter. encounter Tat leipsic SOLDIERS DISARMED BY REVOLUTIONARY POLICE. Amsterdam, January 13. The Workers and Soldiers' Council at Leipsic refused passage to a troop train going to Berlin, in the ground that tho motives of the soldiers were anti-rovolutionary. Tho revolutionary police attempted to disarm the soldiers, 'and firing from both sides caußed

several deaths. Eventually ihe police were victorious. There were similar encounters subsequently on the arrival of other trains, and the troops were disarmed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CIVIL WAR MUST END "OR ALL GERMANY WILL PERISH." (Rec. January 15, 7.10 p.m.) Amsterdam, January 13. Herr Eisner has telegraphed to the Berlin Government that the murderous civil war must end, otherwise all Germany will slowly perish. Berlin's exnnipie is everywhere, producing insanity. The only means of salvation appears to be a Government sustained by the, confidence of the people and comprising all the Socialist parties.— -Renter. OCCUPATION OF DUSSELDORF LEADERS OF THE BOLSHEVIK MOVEMENT. (Rec. January 15, 8.15 p.m.) Copenhagen, January 13. It is reported that British troops have occupied Dusseldorf, where the Bolsheviki had seized the power. Tho Mayor and 150 citizens of the 'town fled to escape imprisonment. The Bolshevist dictator is named Ochel, who in the pre-war days carried out a typical German matrimonial agency and fled to Holland to avoid military service. The Poppaea of the movement is a Russian woman named Feuerstein, who is the intermediary for the distribution' of Russian Bolshevist money used to promote anarchy. Ochel and Feuerstein opened the prisons and loosed 170 criminals, who occupied the police stations. Tho town guard, numbering fifteen hundred, which came into • existence in November, is entirely Bolshevist in sympathy.—Aue.-N.Z.' Cable Assn. [Poppaea Sabina was a favourite of Nero, and having resolved to become the Emperor's wife she :set herself with consummate skill to remove the obstacles which stood in her way. Among her victims were Nero's mother and 'former wife. Poppaea was formally married to Nero in A.D. 62. but died in A.D. 65.]