A German Sensation.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 78, 2 December 1913, Page 5

A German Sensation.

THE lABERN SOLDIERY.

CONFLICTS WITH CITIZENS. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.] Berlin, December 1. ! 1 i The situation at Znbern lias uuder,gone a series of extraordinary developments. I Lieutenant von Foerscner and four other officers were crossing from the ioarracks, overlooking the Schloss Platz I nen they met students leaving a con|ti nuation scliool in the same square. (A boy, recognising ton Foerstuer, (shouted a word having reference to a ■manoeuvre affair in which Non Foerstner was implicated. Schalt summoned |four armed soldiers, who chased and captured the offender. The latter was | 1 jmarched to the barrack yard, whence the escaped. .Meanwhile a large cro.yd assembled. They heard the roll of a Idrum inside the barracks, and then, on Colonel von Reuter’s orders}, GO soldiers with rifles loaded and bayonets fixed, emerged from the barracks*. The . front rank knelt, as was cabled. The women and children fled. Some men entered shops and houses. Others who refused to move were arrested, including counsel accompanying a judge, who was leaving the court. The Crown Prosecutor, finding the military acting without first seeking police assistance, told the officers: “What you are doing is illegal.” The officers, turning to severa;! soldiers, exclaimed: “Arrest that man.” When the Schloss Platz. was cleared, the soldiers returned to the barracks, but it was announced officially that patrols would be sent at intervals to keep the High street clear, to enable officers to arrest any people who insulted them.

Subsequently the Crown Prosecutor and three other officials of the court were released, at the instance of the president of the court. The remaining 26 prisoners spent the night in cold, damp coal-cellars at the barracks, without food and without covering, and were treated as the worst criminals. GENERAL STRIKE THREATENED. (Received pS) (o' ami.) Berlin, December 1. Next morning the prisoners were marched guarded by soldiers with fixed bayonets to the civil tribunal, and were watched'until they were discharged. ’ The municipality passed a resolution protesting against Van Reuters open contempt of law, and his provocative proceedings. The resolution was forwarded to the Chancellor Von Hollweg, whose reply promised to institute investigations with redress if the law had been broken. "he Minister of War stated that ill necessary instructions had been forwarded to the responsible military authorities at Strasburg. The latest report is that the (Government sent a commissioner, from strasburg to investigate, moreover, that the police at Zahern had been reinforced to prevent the further possibility of military action in the event of disturbances.

The Press of alt*parties in Reich.siand are unanimous against the action of the military authorities. The latter are anxious to maintain their ground, lest the Imperial authorities in Reichsland suffer.

A conservative has represented Zahern in the Reichstag for many years, and the present deputy is a Progressive Liberal, hence the population cannot be described as Nationalists. Three thousand socialists at Melhansen, including two members of the Reichstag, passed a resolution protesting against the military’s conduct at Zahern, and threatening a general strike the military dictatorship in Alsace is not terminacd shortly.

FOREIGN PRESS OPINION. (Received 9.50 a.m.) London, December 1. The newspapers in France and Germany treat the Zahern incidents as in nowise a question of nationalities, hut simply between the military authorities and civilians. The German and English newspapers eulogise praiseworthy reticence oi responsible French organs.

A cablegram on November 10 reported that a sensation was caused at Za■bern, Alsace, owing to Lieutenant von Foerstner offering his men ten marks ! 10 s) for every Alsatian vagabond they stabbed. A mob of one thousand besieged von Foerstners quarters and threatened to lynch him, until the troops dispersed the angry mob. The citizens threatened the soldierv.