GERMAN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1923, Page 3

GERMAN ITEMS

A “RED SUNDAY.” BRUTAL .MURDERS COMMITTED. [“The Times” Service.] (Received this day at 9.-15 a.m.) LONDON, September tab The “Times” Dusseldorf correspondent was an eye-witness of the tragedy by which “Red Sunday” became doubly red. It was a tired looking crowd drawn from the struggling middle classes, being all from the Rhineland. Two revolver shots, apparently Irom the Communists, began the trouble. The crowd became panic Grieken. The Separatist Reinweihr Guards drew their lircarms and clubs and then moments of quiet ensued. But it werely preceded the breaking of the storm. Someholly emptied his revolver and then tnc slaughter began. The streets resounded with the noise of shooting on every side. A hundred thousand people broke and ran wildly nitlier and thither. One Separatist stood up and deliberately fired a dozen rounds into the flying crowd. Gradually the panic stricken masses squeezed their way from the street of death. One saw, glinting in the sun, the helmets of the police advancing on the scene, while the Separatists behind trees and corners emptied their rvolvers and rifles against the police who were using magazine ] i-Lols and machine guns. The police advanced and the Separatist fusiladers fled, leaving several dead or writhing on the ground. The shooting ceased alter half an hour. Ihe police held the field while the dead and wounded were removed. About half an hour later French armoured .ears, tanks and cavalry arrive!*, but the bloodshed was not yet finished as a dozen Rheiuwehr ruffians rushed a polieemaii. disarmed him and l-.eat him to death with leaden pipes, the dimmed man covering his lace with nis hands and sinking to the ground. A similar murder was enacted a lew moments later near the same spat when a .Separatist attempted to lepeal these murders upon a wounded policeman. The French cavalry at lasi interfered. REVOLT FAILS. BERLIN, October 1. The Nationalist revolt at Kusliiu has failed and a censorship has been imposed. DUESELDC>RF ROM'. (Received this day at 1.50 p.m.)

BARIS, October 1

Advices from Dusseldorf state a “revolutionary savagery” is the term applied in a French communique to the conduct of the German polite in piuKiiiug and shooting Separatist demonstrators, after firing upon them without provocation, though the occupation ijutlmritiesi olrde-red- them to remain in barracks.

The communique says sixty were wounded, of whom twenty three were sent to hospital. French troops restored order at six o’clock in the evening alter which hour traffic wa s prohibited. while they wer,. busy arresting the police. It is abo staled a high ollicial was involved in the disorder.

The communique declares lour thousand Com in nil is ts "ei e drawn up. half a mile from the demonstration, but did not intervene. BARRACKS FULL OF WOi'NDED. (Received this day at 12 noon). LONDON, Oct. I. A despatch front Dusseldorf suggests that imported German plain clothes policemen were responsible for the brenKiug up of the Separatists’ demonstration. It- asserts that they ming'ed w;t,i tile crowd and started the disturb i tv's upon which the uniformed police hied on the demonstrators, many <>l w horn were woimdctl. and pirktn! U|> l\\ French ambulances. Ihe noheo '!i|iraeks were full uf wounded, and it is reported that some of the demonstrators were killed. A delnelunoiit ol French troops and gendarmerie alteiwards occupied the pulin’ barracks and arrested the polin'.

A G KRAI AN REPORT. (Received this day at 12.'J0 p.m.) RERUN. October !• A semi-official statement declares the police did not intervene in the Dusseldorf cmeutc. till several ot their officers were maUrcated. and one shot l,y Separatists. The latter summoned tile French military, who disarmed the police and afterwards permitted them to lie ill treated. A revolutionary movement originated by the Nationalist- organisations lias broken out in Kustrin. fifty miles Irnm Beilin. The insurgents attempted to disarm the garrison and occupy the fortress hut were repulsed. Ihe Nationalist leaders were arrested by the Reiehsweir in neighbouring towns. Troops have been ordered to tlic revolt ruthlessly. The Minister o Defeme has imposed a censorship on military news.