End of German Strike.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 February 1918, Page 6

End of German Strike.

' COURT-MARTIAL AT WORK, • POLICE USE THEIR SABRES. LONDON, February 4. The correspondent of the Times at Amsterdam, telegraphing on February 2, says that Friday and Saturday were exciting days in Berlin. StroDg police forces were posted with a view td preventing a repetition of the riots. Nevertheless grave collisions occurred. Trams were stormed, windows broken, lines of overhead wires were de-

stroyed, and sometimes carmen were

assaulted. Wherever such scenes occurred the police used drawn sabres, to disperse the crowds, Special courtmartials have commenced 'their sittings Numerous suburban meetings have been dispersed by means of sabres.

The Lokal Anzeiger says that 50 per cent, of the strikers have returned to work at the Hamburg shipyards. The Strike Committee has ordered a

general resumption The Times correspondent at Amsterdam says tbat Spandau is thickly guarded by armed police and troops. The Bremen shipyards have been placed under military control. Erbert, Ledebour, Haase and Schiedemann conferred with Baron Herltling, itfhe Chancellor, and other Ministers AN ACTOIENCE REFUSED. As a result Hertling refused to allow "the strikers' representatives to meet unless guarantees were given -that the meeting would endeavour to terminate the strikers' deputation, on the ground that a section must not attempt to dictate to the nation in political matters

One hundred and sixty leaders have "been arrested at Berlin, and court-mar-tials have been empowered to sentence to death within 24 hours

The Pan-Germans are f uriously exploiting the strike and using the wildest stories for the purpose of isolating the whole of the Reichstag Socialists

from "our Bolsheviks, who are enem- ~ ies of the nation," ultimately linking them with the other Reichstag parties into a bloc favourable to annexations. A correspondent says that the German Government has disseminated lying telegrams alleging that the strikes in Germany overjoyed the British and French. The object is to show the German workers that their discontent plays the enemy's game. Meanwhile the official press agencies have produced fancy pictures for the benefit of foreigners, representing a majority of patriotic Germans scoring out the revolutionary programme. IMPRISONMENT IN FORTRESS. The Strike Court-martial in Berlin is sitting in secret and guarded by troops. The first case was that of an engineer, sentenced to six months in a fortress for distributing pamphlets

The Vossische Zeitung states that the strike leaders are counselling a return to work. The union refusal to pay strike wages is compelling the women to return, whilst the military threats are affecting the men.

The Berliner Tageblatt states that revolver shots, stabs, and missiles injured 13 policemen at Cologne. The strikers decided to resume after the burgomaster undertook to forward itheir political grievances to the Government.

At Bremen the shipbuilders are returning at Leipsic the strike is finshed and at Mannheim the workers iave agreed to return. Elsewhere the movement seems to be steadily waning though a third of the workmen at Jena struck on Saturday. Krupps' has dismissed the strike leaders, and fined others, who have now resumed. NEWS FKOM ATJSTKIA. Trustworthy news of Ithe strikers in- Austria-Hungary is scarcer, owing to the suspensian of many newspapers and the severity of the censorhhip. The news is, generally suppressed in Germany. Berlin reports that the strikes are ended are somewhat pre-mature as many unions have - Tefused to accept the Government's promises of reforms. The Times, in a leading article, says: '"Caution is still necessary in assessing the importance of Austrian unrest A copious flow of German reports does not show the exact origin or scope of the movement and does not answer the main question—how far the manifestations were organised with the assent and tacit acquiescence of the Austrian authorities. It may be considered advisable to give the suffering masses their heads in their demand for food and peace, if only to bring pressure on Germany to grant Austria suppleinenTary food supplies and strengthen the Austrian negotiators at B- st Lit ovsk by a popular cry of no annexations, which might facilitate t'e Aus trian solution of the Polish ciestion If the movement spreads to Pra-ue Buda Pestß, #d other centres, it 'may become clear how

far it is genuine and potentially revolutionary " An authoritative view in London of the Austro-Hungarian strikes is that they have little significance, except as showing how the populace is suffering. They do not indicate a rupture with Germany, which is regarded as most unlikely.