GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1919, Page 5

GERMANY.

> A SINISTER POSITION, ( GERMANS SCHEMING. I TO ESCAPE PUNISHMENT. Received Feb. 12, 1 a.m. London, Feb. 10. There were unexpected differences at Weimar between the Democrats and the Centre Party. The Majority Socialists sharply challenged the political situation. It is now uncertain whether coalition is possible. Even if successfully formed the Allies are faced with a sinister position, owing to the leaders' growing inclination to disclaim responsibility if the peace terms are considered unjust. Herr Noskc thinks that if terms are forced they will result in the fall of the Government or another war. The leaders do not think the Allied armies can be kept together in sufficient strength to overcome Germany's passive resistance. As a sort of corollary it is deliberately suggested that with the fall of the temporary Government those in authority would not attempt to combat the resultant Bolshevism, so the Allies will be /aced with a completely Bolshevik Germany. In short, German negotiators threaten to hold Bolshevism at the Allies'.head as a big pistol, paving the way by organising a passive resistance to the peace terms, demanding the immediate return of prisoners, circulating stories of the want of discipline and mutiny amongst the Allied troops, and taking every possible step to inflame public opinion against the Allies. Berlin and oti r cities are plastered with placards to this end. THE BREMEN FIGHTING. REASON FOR SPARTACIST DEFEAT. Amsterdam, Feb. 0. Officials, including the police, at Wesel struct m protest against Spartacus methods. The Spartacists hold the Town Hall, wfiich is strongly guarded. The city is without water or gas. At Hromcn the fighting resulted in oyer a thousand casualties. The Spartacists state their defeat was due to refusals by the crews of three Spartacist torpedo boats at Wilhelmshaven to come to their assistance.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE NEW CABINET. SOCIALISTS PREDOMINATE. Received Feb. 11, 10.45 p.m. Copenhagen, Feb. 10. The Vossische Zeitung states that the new German Cabinet will be composed of sixteen members, of which the Social Democrats have the president, the Ministers of Defence, Labor, Economy, Nutrition, and Demobilisation; the Democrats have the vice-president and the Ministers of Interior and Finance. The Centre Party will have the Ministries of Justice, Treasury, and Posts, while the Democrats and Social Democrats have each one Minister without portfolio. The Foreign Ministry will be neutralised. —Reuter. SERIOUS SPARTACIST OUTBREAK. A STRICT CENSORSHIP. Received Feb. 11, 5.5 p.m. Berne, Feb. 9. There was a serious Spartacist outbreak in Berlin on the evening of February 8. Soldiers and sailors, commanded by Eichorn, occupied an important thoroughfare. Government troops fired and killed eight and wounded forty. A strict censorship has been enforced at Cologne and Dusseldorff. A strike of the middle classes ended in the Spartacists conceding the chief demands of the bourgeoise strikers.—Reuter.