AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1918, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

THE STRIKES. ATTRIBUTED TO ANGLO-AMERICAN PLOT. London, Feb. 3. Cologne newspapers publish details of an alleged Anglo-American plot. ■ T t is stated that a committee was formed in Washington with a fund of 250 million marks, under Senator Stone, Lords Northelifi'e and Reading, to organise a revolution in Germany, Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria, by establishing branches in neutral eoirtitries and sending neutrals into Germany to incite munitioners to strike and sabotage. THE REAL CAUSE. , GERMANY'S ONLY SALVATION. PEACE WITHOUT ANNEXATIONS. AND INDEMNITIES. Copenhagen, Feb. 3. A smuggled copy of a suppressed pamphlet signed by leaders of the German Independent Socialists shows that they instigated the strikes because the Government's collusion with the Pan-/ Germans was endangering peace negotiations with Russia and also closed the Reichstag, t"he only place where their daugorous annexation policy could be attacked. i

The pamphlet proceeds:: "Our presses (are gagged and our comrades Imprisoned. Working class men and women, we have no time to lose. A new and frightful disaster threatens us despite the sufferings and sorrows we have already endured. Only a peace without annexations and indemnities can save Us. The time will come when you will raise your voices for such a peace. The German people by powerful demonstrations must manifest their determination to end the war."

The arrest of Dittman, a member of the Reichstag, one of the 1 signatories to the pamphlet, has profoundly irritated the Socialists, and a r.ational fenonstvaI lion of protest is (being arranged. Berlin newspapers show that thousands of men and women from the Moabit quarter surged into the streets, overturning the trams, erecting barricades, and breaking the police cordon. The police fired, wounding thirteen severely and many slightly. There were similar demonstrations and encounters in other working class (Suburbs. The military commander has ordered vnrkers to resume work on Monday or they will be punißhed by the" military.

SOCIALISTS' REFUSAL TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT. MAILED FIST TO BE USED, Received Fob. 4, 7.40 p.m. Copenhagen, Feb, 3. The Majority Socialists of the Reichstag refuSc to negotiate with the Gov. eminent unless the workers' representatives partlsipate in the conference. Commander Brandhmg has announced that workers failing to resume on Monday will bv court-mart iaiied by a cotni authorised to impose the death sentence, whit-ii will be carried out within twentyfour hours. There was renewed rioting in Berlin and suburbs on Saturday. CONTROLLING THE NEWS. Received Feb. 4, 8.35 p.m. Berne, Feb. 3. \rupps have purchased the Wolff Telegraphic Agency, controlling German 'ifticial news, and have also started two 'lev companies to control the foreign wws service and the advertising business in German newspapers. THE TRUTH WANTED. '> London, Feb, 3. Semi-official messages from Berlin state that the strikes are subsiding and the men resuming work at Hamburg, Danzig, and Kiel. Only minor disturbances were reported .on Friday, and street traffic in Be; tin was not interrupted. 1 On the other hand, Hague telegrams assert that the situation in Berlin is unchanged. A large number of the independent Socialist leaders were arretted at the same time as Herr Dittman. Wprk people in Cologne, Dusseldorf and Golsenkirk,*and coalminers at Dortmund and Bochum liave joined the strikers.