GERMANY UNSETTLED

Taihape Daily Times, 11 December 1918, Page 5

GERMANY UNSETTLED

i *SPARTACUS CROUPS ACTIVE. ') ' * V , Street Fighting in Brunswick.

KAISER ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.

President Poincare in ASsace., •* - - «iil.hP|^Mi Profoundly Moving Scenes.

HORRIFYING DETAILS OF BLACK HOLE OF LILLE.

270 CONFINED UNDER i GROUND FOR FIVE WEEKS ; LONDON, December 9 ! Some returning prisoners of war give ■horrifying details of the black hole of Lille, a huge underground cavern, iwhere 270 men were confined, for five [Weeks in an unspeakable state of neglect. famine and disease. They had no clothing or covering except that which they left the battlefield in, and were only allowed in the upper air for jten minutes a day. Twenty were taken $o the hospital suffering from dysentery. Vermin had to be scraped off their clothing with knives. The place was not cleaned during five weeks, and the food was so foul and uneatable that the men practically wont • mad. They used to lie on the ground killing vermin and singing hymns. Men used to fight to reach a latticed window ten feet above the floor to get air, ■and they were compelled to bathe their wounds with coffee, being unable obtain water for the purpose, I KAISER ATTEMPTS SUICIDE. Received 9 a.m. NEW YORK, Dec 10. German newspapers report that the ex-Kaiser unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide. MOVING SCENE IN-ALSACE. POINCARE PRESENTS CHARTER OP LIBERTY. Received 9 a.m. STRASBURG, Dec 10. There was a profoundly moving scene when President Poincare handed over to the Strasshurgers their charter of liberty. Thousands of eyes, including M. Clemenceau’s, were dimmed with tears by the President’s vivid story of past sufferings and the longings and hopes of the people, especially the recent compulsion of ’Alsatians to wear the German uniform to fight their brethren of beloved France, ■ Tbs /nightmare was now over, and The dream of many years had become a fact. But one cannot Slot out the other past; it still lives to nerve the people for the future. A Vplebescite has been taken, and Alsace, weeping for joy, has thrown herself on the breast of the mother she has found again.

HAIG’S RETURN TO ENGLAND.

Received 9 a.m. LONDON, Dec 10. Sir Douglas Haig returns to England on December 20th. IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY ERIC GEDDES, KAISER AND OTHER MURDERERS i * SHOULD BE PUNISHED. Received 10.15 a.m. LONDON, December 10 Sir Erie Geddes, in a speech at Cambridge, expressed the opinion that Germany should refund the ful cost of the war, together with all damage by land and sea. It is inconceivable that the supremacy of the British Navy, would ever be surrendered, and it was also inconceivable that the Kaiser, and the murderers of Fryatt and others would go unpunished, THE ARMISTICE. PROPOSED PROLONGATION. A , AMSTERDAM, December 9. A message from Berlin states that 0 • JErzeherger announced that the French have requested the German army com-m-and to designate plenipotentiaries to discuss a prolongation of the armistice, at Treves, on the 12th and I3th.

IN GERMANY. o A SECRET BODY OF TROOPS. TO SUPPRESS EXTREMISTS. Received 9 a.m. „ ■ COPENHAGEN, Dec 10. The Berlin Soviet has announced that the Government is maintaining a secret body of counter revolutionary troops, mainly the Kaiser’s Old Guard with the view of suppressing all extreme elements. FOOD HOARDERS IN GERMANY. Received 9 a.m. LONDON, Deo 10. A Berlin correspondent learns from a well-informed source that there is a considerable stock of foo'd in the country, but the peasants refuse to disgorge it except at exorbitant prices. There is no nourishment in the food sold in Berlin hotels. The poor live on cabbages and potatoes, and the bread is uneatable. LIEBKNECHT’S FOLLOWERS DEMONSTRATE. "" i RETURNING SOLDIERS SUPPORT j Received 8.35 a.m. STOCKHOLM, Dec. 9. Imposing demonstrations of Extremists, headed by Licbknecht in an armoured car, continue. The sequel remains to be unrolled. Berlin workmen are predominantely Bolshevistic, and deserters nre their natural allies; but returning soldiers arc overwhelmingly on the side of the Government. These alone have arms. A vast stream of soldiers is flowing into Berlin, and the next few days are likely to alter the position entirely in favour of Ebert. If the Government has a courageous, definite policy, There is little to fear. ILicbknocht’s followers really have fewer arms, as a deserter said to the ‘‘ Tagcblatt, “We were fools to give up our rifles.” Meanwhile the Government is taking a strong line against violence on either side. AMERICANS TO OPPOSE BOLSHEVIKS. LONDON, Dec 9. American troops arc being sent forward hurriedly by tra/is to Coblenz, where the Bolsheviks are rampant. SERIOUS HAPPENINGS IN . BERLIN. BERNE, December 9. The Spartacus movement continues to spread in Berlin. The Reichstag buildings are reported to have been captured, being taken after bloody rioting. Ten thousand Republican guardsmen are in the city to quell rioting, Bolshevik organisers from Russia are arriving to lead the Spartacus movement. Advices from Berlin state that it is evident that the riots were links in a well-organised attempt by extremists to overthrow the Government. The Spartacus group has concentrated in the city the best organisers from the whole country. The Government, however, had large forces in readiness. The Republican guard now occupies the Invaliderstrasse, many railway stations and university and other notable''quarters. FATAL ENCOUNTER IN BRUNSWICK. LONDON, Dec 9. The “Weser Zeitung” reports that a bloody encounter occurred in Brunswick between Red Guards and the famous Black Hussars returning from the front. The latter fired upon a municipal deputation of welcome. The Red Guards replied. The infuriated populace dragged officers from their horses and forced them to march in the procession.

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN. REPUBLIC TO BE PROCLAIMED. LONDON, Dec 9. A Hamburg message states that a republic iof Schleswig-Holstein, Avithproclaimed. It is authoritatively denied that in the German Empire is about to be Northern SchlesAvig has been ceded to Denmark, Avhich at present is not prepared to come to an agreement. Germany Avill leave settlement to the Peace Conference. GERMANY PAYING THE PRICE AMSTERDAM, December 9 The Entente is demanding the surrender by the 17th of all merchantmen interned in German ports and ships condemned by the Prize Court', also all war vessels, including submarines and riA r or craft which have just been complet'd or are under construction. Germany has protested that this goes beyond the armistice terras. THE BERLIN DEMONSTRATION FATAL COLLISION WITH TROOPS AMSTERDAM, Dee. 9. When the Berlin demonstrators were proceeding along the Invalidenstrasse, they found troops blocking their path. The soldiers AA r arned them back. At first they obeyed, but crowds flocking from side streets urged the mass forward. The troops fired, ami scores fell. Others became panic-stricken and jumped through shop-windows. Machine-guns were fired continuously for two minutes. NEW YORK, December 9 Confused messages continue to arrive from Berlin, indicating that Liebhnccht’s folloAvers are endeavouring to foment a revolution. General indications, howcA'cr, show that the Spartacus group is unable to overthrow the present Government. Pillaging . continues in Berlin. The Spartacus group is Avell supplied AA T ith machine-guns, Fighting between Government and the troops at isolated points is reported. Russian Bolshevists arc arriving in Berlin to assist the revolt.