BERLIN BOY BOLSHEVIKS

Taihape Daily Times, 13 March 1919, Page 5

BERLIN BOY BOLSHEVIKS

AMUSING YOUNG REBELS

Humour, even though unconscious, seems to have dawned in Germany with the revolution, wrote the correspondent of a London newspaper, from Rotterdam. It was manifested rccetnly in the form of a demonstration of youths organised by the Spartacus group. There took part about 1000 young people of both sexes, mostly from 15 to 17 years of ago, and some even younger.

These precocious youths and lassies formed a procession, and, to the huge amusement of thousands of spectators marched to the Reichstag building, where they halted whilst a deputation entered in order to present their demands to the Soldiers’ Council. Whilst this was being done a youth mounted a pedestal and informed the laughter smitten crowd that their demands were as follows: —

“Six hours’ working day for all under 18; the fixing of a minimum wage which must be high enough to provide the means of existence; the limitation of the period of apprenticeship to two years; franchise at the age of 18; the right of youtli to participate in the government of the State; abolition of conscription; abolition of all disciplinary punishments.”

The Executive .Committee treated the matter in all seriousness, and sent out on.’ of its members to add res the demonstrators. He told them that so far as lie was concerned he wias in favour of their demands; but. ho added, the Executive Committee could do nothing, as their power was passing to a new authority to bo established by) the Soldiers’ Council’s Congress. “The young rebels showed dissatisfaction with this declaration, and a sevontcon-y ear-old orator made a fierce speech, in which he denounced. Ebert and Scheidemann as traitors, and the National Assembly as a now form of class government. Amidst a storm of laughter he declared in a shrill voice: ‘‘The vouth of the country have kept going the economic life of Germany during the war. If our demands are not immediately eoncedod. the ynoth' of Germany will have a general strike.”