The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-11
Socialists and Radicals of
Berlin Gather By ThOus-
ands In City Parks
NO DISORDER FOLLOWS
REMARKABLE SCENES
Enthusiastic Speeches Are Made By the
Leaders Demanding Suffrage Re-
forms in Germany and Rights
of Democracy

Berlin April 10.-At least 1900 socialists
and radicals took part today in the most
impressive demonstration ever held in
this city In favor of suffrage reform in
Prussia.
From II o'clock in the morning the
streets resounded with the march OF
squads of earnest looking men from every
precinct in the city toward the Hum
bolt-Hain, the Friedrchshafen and Trep-
tow park, where Police Commissioner Won
Jagow had sanctioned an open congress.
Owing to the recent outspoken criticism
OF the police methods in the repression
of popular expression of the citizens
will, the police commissioner had with
drawn his former inhibition on assurances
from the socialist leaders that no dis
turbances would occur and traffic would
not be disturbed.
Men and women gathered at the dis
trict headquarters of the socialists at an
early hour and from there marched off
Ia groups of 100 under control of stewards
wearing red armbands toward the allot-
ted meeting placed.
There was no shouting or singing as
the crowds passed through the streets
from which the police seemed to have
disappeared as if by magic. Squads of
police arrived at the park at 10 o'clock
with military precision. They gathered
around 16 improvised platforms, from
which. at the sound of bugle, socialistic
and radical members of the landtag and
reichstag began addresses. in which they
vehemently denounced the injustices OF
the present system OF elections. For
al hour and a half the orators continued
amid deafening cheers, and at 2:5o an
other bugle sounded, and for one minute
silence prevailed.
A resolution declaring it was the de-
termination of those gathered together
to fight for reform until victory had
beer won for the people was then passed
by acclamation. Enthusiastic scenes en-
sued and there was great cheering for the
rights of the democracy, while 10000
voices broke into the stirring strains of
the workmens Marselaise. and the song.
OF freedom. but they desisted on orders
from the leaders.
The meetings then disbanded the orig
inal groups marching off as they had
come without the slightest disorder
Twelve meetings were held in halls in
the suburbs and these also passed off
without untoward incident. The most
significant features of today's manifesto
tion were the orderly manner in which
it was conducted. the police in the fu-
ture having no reason for refusing So
cialists' requests for open-air assem-
blages and the cooperation between the
socialists and radicals, this being the first
| time in which they Joined in such
demonstration. indicating the depth of
feeling among the workers regarding the
necessity of suffrage reform.
The socialists held huge open-air mass
meetings of protest against the suffrage
bill at Breslau. Magdeburg, Cologne, Bo-
chum, Dortmund Essen and Stettin. All
passed off without incident except at
Breslau. where the police turned out In
force and tried to disperse the crowds.
which were parading after the meeting.
The paraders broke through the police
Gordon and the police drew their sabres
and made numerous arrests.