New-York tribune., 1908-01-13
POLICE USE SABRES
ON SOCIALISTS.
GREAT CROWDS BE4TEN
IN BERLIN'S STREETS.
Many Persons Injwed-SeUenty
Thousand attempt Demonstra-
ton for General Suffrage.

Berlin. Jan. 12-The determination Of the So
cialists TO obtain direct general suffrage. COM
bined with their indignation against Chancellor
Won Bulow's curt refusal of their demand, gave
rise to-day 10 an unusual scene and a monster
popular demonstration. accompanied by disoF-
Gers IN the streets OF the Prussian capital in
which 10000 organized Socialists took part,
while 10000 synpathizers from time TO time as
sisted them by voice and action.
One Of the most rernarkabIe features Of TO-
days uprising was the number of women who
engaged in the demonstrations. and they ap-
r,eared even more earnest than the men The
authorities took the sternest measures 10 pre-
vent disorder and the strictest precautions 10
protect the Landtag and other public buildings
and Prince Won Bjiiow's palace against the out
burst Of fury. Groups in the streets were dis
persed in the most vigorous manner COLLISIONS
between professions Of Socialists and the police
resulted in the injury Of many persons but as
far as known there We're no deaths The police
refrsined from making arrests except in cases
Of extreme violence
The movement extends all over Prussia, where
the Socialists are exceptionally numerous Re-
ports received from other cities however 90
10. indicate that the demonstrations there were
accompanied by violence.
Notwithstanding the police commissioners :
warning that repressive measures would be
use5. rnanv thousand Socialists gathered in the
rr7orning at the six hundred local headquarters
Of the various districts Of the capital and
thence proceeded in groups singing revolution
srv songs toward the eight halls in the city
where mass meetings had been announced
PREPARATIONS TO REPRESS DISORDER
From 10 O'Clock in the morning the entire po-
lice force had been duty Two hundred men
with officers were hidden in each Of the IRE
stations and large bodies were held IN reserve
- the police stations while public buildings
were req1lisitioned. where forces were quar-
Tered TO act in emergencies In the gar
6ens and outhouses Of the Landtag. before which
-ba demonstration On Friday occurred heavy
r,s-d was stationed. Streetcars and other We
hicles were permitted TO drive in front II the
building but not more than TWO pedestrians to-
ge+he- were allowed 70 pass on any preteEt
Chancellor von Btilows palace on the Wilhelm
s-rasse was surrounded by Cordons Of police.
while the environs Of the imperial palace with
the square in front, were closed II the public
Squads Of police. both on foot and mounted, pa
trolled the central tioroughfares-
The Socialists showed great determination in
their attempts 70 hold professions although the
police made energetic endesvors TO prevent
them Long before the hour If noon, the time
fixed to begin the meetings, al the halls were
hacked and the police drew up in force around
The doors 70 hold the crowds in check Those
who could not get within the buildings were
driven into adjoining streets by squads Of po-
lice Inside the halls great enthusiasm preValled'
-he excitement increasing as the speakers de-
-7ounced the action Of the Chancellor. whose
name was received with loud booing and hiss
ing The speakers did not advise violence. but
said that II violence occurred the responsibility
would fall on the police and the privileged
. classes. who refused the people their rights
POLICE USE sABREs FREELY
Resolutions favoring general suffrage and
secret ballot were adopted by reclamation. after
which the audiences streamed into the streets.
The police Immediately attempted TO disperse
The throngs. which showed an evident intention
n march in procession toward the palace
square In most cases the professions we're soon
broken up- TWO formidable columns, however.
marched as far as The Alexander PIatz. within
short distance Of the Emperors palace, where
the police charged them. using the fats Of their
sabres freely and indicting many injuries
r Eventually they succeeded with great difficulty
II scattering the Socialists. who retired. hooting
and cheering Ironically, toward Inter den Lin
den Thousands Of spectators already had gath
cred there from curiosity. and the police fol-
lowed the broken ranks OF the paraders. clear
ing the entire thoroughfaTe as far as the Bran
tenburg Gate, where most Of the people fed
rapidly along the paths 10 the Tiergarten- Many
of them. however. escaped along the side streets,
The Friederichstrasse and the Wilhelmstrasse.
Later some thousands Of Socialists gathered
2 short distance from Chancellor Won BUlow's
residence and began hooting the Chancellor
who had driven through into the Friedrichstrasse.
Their attitude became 80 threatening that both
the mounted and foot police charged them fierce
" striking right and left with the fat of their
sa bres Scores Of the throng were knocked
down and tramped on. and the great crowd al
length was broken UP into small groups, among
whom there were many injured persons
APPROACH FROM SUBURBS BARRED.
Another sharp encounter occurred at the jung
fern Bridge where many suffered severe contu-
sions on the Noritz Platz an immense throng
shouted and hooted until the police with drawn
arms forced them into the side streets. Thou
sands attempted TO reach Berlin from the sub
urhs after the meetings there. but found every
rhorouEhfare barred Il was impossible 10 get
through without contact with the police. and
most Of the men returned TO their homes. Tow
ard evening quiet was restored in the centre Of
the city. hut several small groups marched in
the outlying streets singing the .Marseiaise"
The main force of the police withdrawn at
night but patrols continued 10 prevent groups
from forming
n the suburbs during the day fourteen other
meetings which were held attracted even greater
concourses of men and women than the meet
ings n the city At these gatherings the Mar