German Crimes,

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1922, Page 3

German Crimes,

AUSTRALIAN AND N. 3. CABLE ASSOCIATION. (Received this day at 9.50 a.in.) LONDON-, July 12. The ‘'Manchester Guardian’s” Beilin correspondent states at least three hundred men and women including Liebknecht, Erzeberger and Rathenau murdered for political reasons in Germany during the past three years were all either Liberals or Socialists. All the murderers were rectionaries and Monarchists. Few acts of violence were committed against Monarchists and have been punished with excessixe severity. It is not possible to make an estimate of the forces engaged in the latest civil war between Republican and Monarchist movement. Counter revolution, militarist, reaction and Monarchist movement are practically identical, ns the overthrow of the Republic and restoration of monarchy will be the first steps towards a Germany sufficiently militarised to wage a war of re. venge against the Entente France. The” whole of German* organised Labour is Republican and a general strike is its only weapon, which is probably sufficient to destroy any attempt to overthrow the Government, but it is a defensive weapon and practically helpless against the preparations for the overthrow and against Monarchist agitation. All the landed gentry and bigger fnrmers are Monarchists'. Probably a majority of the middle class are Monarchists. Officers in the Reichswehr are nearly all Monarchist. The rank and file of one hundred thousand would probably follow their officers in a civil war. The security police 150 thousand'are a semi-military force with Monarchist, officers. The strongholds of the Monarchist movement are Pomeranian, East Prussia, Bavaria. Secret military organisations all over the country are the backbone of an active Monarchist movement. The most powerful is the organisation consul, whereof one hundred members have been arrested. It is a secret society with hidden depots of arms and ammunition' spies and agents. Gunther, who organised Rathenau’s murder is a member. It was mainly his indiscretions in boasting that revealed the conspiracy. Sections of the reactionaries are fighting to restore partially lost privileges of their class, and to re-establish Germany’s military predomination in Europe. They are largely actuated by racial hatred of all foreigners, particularly French and Poles most of all Jews. There are educated Germans who seriously maintain a Christ war. German universities are notoriously retrograde politically. A vast majority of the professor are extreme reactionaries. The students played a sinister part in every outbreak and have been guilty of most of the political murders committed in Germany. i