JUNKER PLOTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 217, 7 June 1919, Page 3

JUNKER PLOTS

GERMAN'S REMARKARLESTORV MILITARISTS AND ARMY . REORGANISATION . (From a Correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian" who was lately in Germany.) [The following message readies ns (says tho ''Guardian")'from a source which we have hitheno found reliable, and therefore, although wo are unable to take responsibility for the statements made, we do not think it justifiable to refuse them publication.] I have an amazing story, not from a wild extremist but from'a well-informed person in a responsible official position, who, while inveterately hostile to the old regime, has before now given me' proofs of soundness. I would also rernank that much of this story tallies completely with my own observation and impressions. This is what my informant said:— We possess proofs that this Spartacus rebellion was the work of the military caste working behind the scenes. Wo know that officers of high and low rauk in various disguises incited' the Spartacists to acts of violence iu order to engineer a coup do main and rebellion. Tha headquarters of tho whole plot was at Potsdam. Officers of high rank had an important share in concocting and directing Spartaciat operations, including the seizure of offices. 'The whole thing was, of course, done without the knowledge of the Spartacist leaders themselves, who were simply i|ie dupes of the monarchist military caste. The plan was from the outset to egg om tho Government to the organisation and employment of armed force'on a huge scale.

New Great Army. The essence of the plan wa6 to obtain and concentrate large number of fresh, troops, and organise them in large formations under the control and strict discipline of Prussian Junker officers. The whole tremendous Tecruiting campaign which is going on in Berlin and throughout the country, and which may bo correctly described as another general mobilisation, is secretly directed by Hindenburg himself. On the double pretext, of fighting 801-' shevism at home and defending the eastern frontier dotli against the Eussian Bolsheyiki and the Poles, the German monarchist clique and military caste have plotted to create a new huge army without arousing the suspicion of the Entente. The real object is not eastern defence but "Western defence. The troops are to remain in and around Bjrlin pending the secret reorganisation of the whole army. " An important item in the German militarist calculation is the popular movement in Entente countries demanding quick demobilisation. "We are in possession of proofs that German soldiers with a knowledge of the French and English languages have been sent out not by Spartacists, but by the military caste to the occupied territory in the "West to carry on Bolshevik propaganda among tho Entente troops of occupation.

Government Helpless. The present Socialist Government is the contemptible and helpless tool <>f the militarist machinations, and cannot extricate itself from the meshes which it has itself prepared. Besides, oven the piesent Government favours the resumption of Western defence if necessary. Officers] havo taken over all tho demobilised milt tary- material and divided it up by divisions. For appearances' sake many of theso divisions are named after noncommissioned officers, 6uch as Division Oven, but in reality they are commanded by officers and act under orders from generals. Three-fourths of all the officers have placed themselves at the disposal cf the movement. There are also special officers' battalions. The power of commaud is ill the hands of the military without t>3 Government being consulted. Noske was beside himself with, impotent rage over the loss of the power of command.

Tho old Prussian military discipline) in • all its forms is now enforced among the troops, who are excellently armed and provided with new clothes. As a result of the fact that, to avoid unemployment, the munitions and' armaments works were going until quite recently, huge quantities of war material of every kind are availnble. The Teal object of the rigorous disarming of civilians and of the hunt after ammunition stores is also to get more arms. Clothes (.re also being accumulated. "Including new enlistments there are about 1000 men concentrated in and around Berlin. The men themselves believe tliej- aro, wanted only to fight in the East, but officer of high rank in confidential conversation ridicule tho idea, saying: 'You don't suppose we are going to put up with anything (? everything) from tho Entente Powers."'

The new arid more arrogant tone against, the Entente Powers that has been suddenly adopted by the German Foreign Office and the semi-official Press fits in with this story.