RECONSTRUCTION IN GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 117, 11 February 1919, Page 5

RECONSTRUCTION IN GERMANY

ESTABLISHING A DEMOCRATIC ■' GOVERNMENT 1 • i SPEECHES IN NATIONAL ! ' ASSEMBLY ! By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyriglr London, February 8. 1 Speaking in the German National As sembly, the Premier, Her:' Ebert, eai< the people were prepared, for the wore privations ir.ither than dishonour. The; had won the right to 6elf-determinatioi within the country; and they could no 1 abandon the right outside it. The Gov! eminent had entered upon an evil herifc age. He appealed to the people to wort diligently to create new standards otherwise ruin was. inevitable. "We liavf confidence," he said, "in the indcstrucj tible creative German spirit." Dr. David, upon his election to the Presidency of the Assembly, said: "Thf war and the revolution have destroyed ail government. There must be a new structure to replace the old system oi State favouritism of the minority. Wi must endeavour to establish a democracy 'based upon the equality of the citizens.' 1 It is expected that the Assembly will demand that peace shall be based exactly upon President Wilson's Fourteen Point?.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ; PRESIDENT OP THE ASSEMBLY. I Copenhagen, February 8. : A message from Weimar states that Dr. David, a Majority Socialist, and ex-Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has been elected President of the National Assembly.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. •■ /: PROSPECT FOR STABLE REPUBLICAN j • . ADMINISTRATION ; (Rec. February 10, 5.5 p.m.) Stockholm, February' 9« 1 Developments at Weimar promise af triumph for the Government and ther establishment of a stable Republican Adj' ministration. It is stated that the Democrats of the Centre Party have joined the Majority Socialists in forming a. coalition of 330 Opposition members and 90 composed of Independents, Extrem-| ists, and Reactionary Conservatives. I£. the position is brought' to finality the' new Government will comprise seven So-: cialists, four Democrats, and four memj, bers of the Centra Party—"The Times.-j SPARTACUSIAN DISTURBANCES j CIVIL WAR IN DUSSELDORF. , Berlin, February 8. j ; Reports of disturbances come from ell: parts of Germany. Civil war continues! in Dusseldorf, and to some extent in Hamburg. The Soviets have seized the' r telephones and telegraphs at Liibeck, ; with the object of interfering. with. Gov-; ernment communications, but the object: has not been attained, owing to the; State officials immediately policy which ha? proved effective in! various parts of' the country—against j the Spartacusians' aspirations.—Reuter. j CASUALTIES IN BREMEN . I . FIGHTING. -j Amsterdam, February 8. i Berlin reports state that thirty people ) were killed and a hundred wounded in.; the fighting in Bremen.—Reuter.' \ HINDENBURG'nofUNTARY ARMY j IS A REACTIONARY COUP • ' i PLANNED? i Berne, February 9. . Hon* Haase interprets von Hinden-! 'burg's effort;; to raiso a voluntary army ; of six hundred thousand in Pomerania and East Prussia as preliminary to a renctionary coup which the Prussian military party is planning, to be made after | bouts with the Bolsheviki. • Tbc army ' might march upon Berlin or against the Allied Army of Occupation. Thousands ' of men are enlisting, owing to the in- ; ducementa of wages and good food.—Aue.. ; N.Z. Cable Assn. EASTERN SITUATION CRITICAL, ; Amsterdam, February 8. ■ Berlin reports state'that the Eastern situation ig very critical. Heavy fight- , ing occurred between Breslaui and Lissa, i where the Pole? are endeavouring to, : break through in order to advance upon:; Breslau. Thousands of Poles are on the ■ Siiesiau frontier, ready to participate in i the invasion.—Reuter. TROOPS CONCENTRATED TO MEET': BOLSHEVIK ARMY. ; Copenhagen, February 9. : A well-organised Bolshevik army iq : within twenty-five miles of the East ; Prussian frontier, preparing .for a great j westward attack. Masses of German j troops are concentrating in Readiness to i meet it. "The Bolshevik Government ha§ i decreed that all residents in Russia, : whatever their nationality, must 6erve in ; the Red Armv.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. . '< i DIFFICULTY OF PREVENTING 1 INVASION. Berne, February 9. ( ; Herr Noske, interviewed at Weimar, .: said he was doubtful whether a Bolshe- ' vik invasion can be prevented. Tho diffi- j culties of transport, are tremendousi— - Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AN ARMISTICEREPORTED BETWEEN THE POLES AND THE ! GERMANS. - (Rec. February 10, 5.5 p.m.) ' Copenhagen, February 8. Aftjer violent fighting the Poles defeat- ■ ed tlie Germans, capturing. Same, Sar- : nowijki, and Loseyn. • ! It is reported that the Germans and ' Poles have arranged an armistice—Aue.- ! N.Z. Cable Assn. i ALSACE-LORRAINE ! DECLARED TO BELONG TO GERMANY. , j (Rec. Februarv 10, 10.20 p.m.) 1 .'■ London, February 9. ' A Berlin wireless message states that : the National Assembly applauded the'de- ... duration' of the President. Dr. David, "i that "Alsace-Lorraine still belongs to i Germany,. who unceasingly demands to - I be given the right of self-determination." ; —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , . j LATE LORD RHONDDA'S ESTATE •! London, February 8. ' . The estate of the late Lord Rhondda, ( who was Food Controller till shortly before his death, was §worn at dC853,645.— I Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. I