Evening star., 1908-01-22
GUARD THE RE|CHSTAG
Berlin Parliament Surrounded
by Soldiers and Police.
CHANCELLOR QUESTIONED
Uproar Precipitated by the Socialist
Members.
MINISTERS LEAVE CHAMBER
Chancellor Declares That the Gov
ernment Is Firm and Will Not
Be Inundated.
CHANCELLOR QUESTIONED
MINISTERS LEAVE CHAMBER

BERLIN. January a33.-Chancellor Won
Buclow refused categorically in the reichs-
tag today to reply TO a socialist interpret
iation on the subject of the Prussian
suffrage. This precipitated a deafening
uproar from the members, during which
all the ministers left the house. The de-
bate was then continued before the half
empty benches.
The trouble with the people had been
expected. particularly in view of the
to be prepared for recurrence of vio-
lent encounters between the police and
the populace the buildings of parliament
wcr> surrounded from early morning with
a strong force of police med with pis-
tolls and sabers. Furthermore. the prin-
patrolled constantly by police, both
mounted and on foot.
Text of the Question.
The Interpolation was very skilfully
worded in order to bring it within official
authority of the reichstag The ques-
ton was framed as follows:
"On what ground does the chancellor
consider manhood suffrage. as already
granted for the elections TO the imperial
parliament. to be harmful to the inter
| eSts of one of the federal stateso'
There was some doubt early today as
| to whether the chancellor would make a
reply or not. 1t has been his custom to
avoid discussing Prussian affairs in the
reichstag. but others thought he might
| empower DIR. Bethmann- Hollweg min
lister Of the interior, to respond for him.
Chancellor Was Angry.
Prince Won Buelow opened the reichstag
proceedings by warning against fur
ther manifestations, which he declared
| did not affect the government in the
| slightest degree. He threatened amid
ironical cheering from the socialists, thai
| the leaders and organizers Of all demon.
strations would be dealt with severely.
The chancellor trembled with indigna-
ton when he referred to the street mani
| festations and terrorism which he de-
clared had been introduced into the capi-
| tai. He stigmatized the street demon.
| stratiOns as dangerous to the country,
and he looked directly at the socialist
members when he announced that the or
sanizers would be held responsible. He
was compelled to pause for several min :
utes because of derisive laughter from,
| the socialist benches.
Socialist Defense.
Herr Fisher socialist. in the course of
a speech accused the police Of in
famously utilizing the services Of de-
tectives, who mixed with the demon
strarors and led in the cries and sing
ing, thus creating cause for the in
tervention of their uniformed comrades.
One of them. however, a man named
Kassube, who had been most promi-
nent in the procession had received
well-merited punishment for his treach-
cry. being 80 badly injured by blows
from the sabers of his comrades, who
obliged to be driven home IN an am
bulance. Herr Fischer demanded the
same rights for public manifestations
as existed in other European countries,
and said that the socialists were pre-
pared to accept responsibility for the
street demonstrations.
Radicals Were Wild.
Herr kreth, conservative, aroused an
uproarious tumult among the socialists
when he asserted that the leaders of that
party were most prominent by their alb
sence from the streets during the demon
strations which they had misled others
| into undertaking. even advising the par
| ticipants to take their wives and children
| with them as protection against the
| police.
| When Herr kreth finished this state
| ment loud cries We're heard of "vaga-
bond. "slanderer." liar" 'scoundreI'
| and "hypocrite." The tumult lasted for
| several minutes During it Herr Bebel
| the socialist leader, advanced to the tri-
| bune and shrieked at Herr Kreth. "You
miserable rascal while Herr Stadtha gen.
! social democrat. called him a vulgar
| vagabond'' and police spy
The president Of the house made vain
attempts to restore order. Amid cries of
get down fronIthe tribunal Herr Kreth
concluded his remarks by saying: II pro-
| pose an encounter with Herr Stadthagen
at which the police shall not be present.