Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-18
CLASH WITH POLICE
Conflict Between the Au-
thorities and Socialists.
TWO HUNDRED ARE INJURED
Franchise Issue in Frankfort, Ger
many, Provokes Serious
Disturbance.

Special Cabegram to The Star.
BERLIN February 1S.-It has been as
certained that over 200 persons were
wounded yesterday in the clashes be-
tween the socialists and the police at
Frankfort on Main. The conflicts took
place after the socialists had adjourned
their meetings of protest against the
methods employed by the police Febru-
AIRY Is in suppressing the demonstrations
against the Prussian governments fran
chise bill.
The police used their swords and re-
volvers and the disorders continued until
midnight.
The franchise conflicts at Frankfort
have produced an unpleasant impression
among those who do not sympathize with
the socialists. The spirit in which the
Prussian police have undertaken to pre-
serve order is especially disturbing.
Police in the Corridors.
When the city council of Berlin met at
the rathaus last night to consider, among
other things, resolutions objecting to the
So called election reform measure, the
members found detachment of police oc-
cupying one of the corridors. The mayor
inquired the meaning of this. and was
informed that the commander of the Ber-
lin police considered the presence in the
building of the officers a necessary pre-
caution against a possible unfr1endly
demonstration. The mayor requested the
withdrawal of the police and his request
was granted The council passed a reso-
lution asking that a more equitable SUI
frage law be adopted.
Fifty Persons in Hospital.
FRANKFORT, February 1S.-It was
O'Clock this morning before the police
had cleared the streets of the crowds
gathered in public protest against the
proposed Prussian suffrage laws. Today
some fifty of the demonstrators are in
the hospitals, and the number of five
are seriously injured Investigation de-
velops that there were many more casual
ties than at first had been supposed
Many of the wounded avoided the hospi-
tails, receiving treatment from private
physicians in order to escape any posi-
BILE legal consequence involved. The total
number of wounded is now placed at be-
tween 300 and 800. Twenty policemen
are among the injured. The rioting dur
ing the later hours of the night appears to
have been confined to the ruffian element
among the unemployed. The municipal
lodging house, which usually is packed at
night, sheltered only seven persons last
evening.
Origin of the Trouble.
The socialists insist that those at
tending the meetings had been advised
by the speakers to go quietly to their
homes and that the most Of them were
so doing when a policeman who had
arrested a man was fired upon by a
party of would-be rescuers This Incl
dent. the socialists say, afforded the
police detachments the opportunity for
which they were waiting to attack the
homegoers brutally, regardless Of age
or sex.
Other demonstrations have been an
nounced for next Sunday, but the meet
ings have been forbidden by the police,
who are acting under orders from Ber-
lin. The police are not members of -he
municipal force, but of the Prussian
state constabularly. and to a great ex-
tent are former sergeants Of the army.