The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-02
BERLIN GOVERNMENT
TO FIGHT SOCIALISTS
Begins Making Offensive Moves
Against Army's Critics
Throughout Germany.
LOSES FIRST SKIRMISH
Minister Of War Outwitted in
Prosecution Of "Red
Rosa" for Libel.
LOSES FIRST SKIRMISH
Special Correspondence 70 THr sus.

BERLIN. July 22.--Indications are multi
plying that the Government II get
ting ready 90 change its tactics toward
the Social Democrats in Germany. From
the defensive attitude OF the last few
years that bordered on ignoring the
largest political party I'm Germany and
it's aggressive activity tho Government
has changed its front recently to what
Is taken as the preliminary skirmishes OF
vigorous offensive move against the
Socialists
For long time the reactionary mo-
narchical press has been applying whip and
spur to the Government for its indiffer-
euce 10 and disregard of the never ceasing
attacks OF the Socialists. II demanded
that the authorities take vigorous steps
To curb the reds" by prosecuting them
whenever they "lbelled" any official or
officer individually or the army or navy
or municipal or State government as
a whole in their harangues or press arti-
cles.
The authorities began by declaring war
on n woman. Rosa Luxembourg. RED
Rosa" az she IL known. leader OF the
radical reds OF the Social Demo-
cratic party. is said 90 have been for
merly Russian revolutionary. She
was convicted OF libel" and sentenced
to prison for one year. Encouraged by
this action. the Minister Of War, Won
Falkenhayn, decided that he would no
| longer permit the Socialists to besmrch
the honor of the army in their trades
against the Government He would show
them what an aggressive Minister OF War
! could do. He too began by declaring
! war against a woman. Rosa Luxembourg.
/ While at liberty pending appeal Red
Rosa made a speech at Freiburg In
which she said among other things
Woman Attacks Army.
Whatever may have happened at Metz,
one thing IL clear. 1t Ia certainly another
one OF those dramas daily enacted in the
/ German barracks and In which the means
and groans OF the participants seldom
reach our ears"
Rose Luxemburg's topic was the mis-
treatment OF men in the German army
by officers and non commissioned officers
The Minister OF War considered these re-
marks a libel on the entire German army
and officer corps Already under a SEN
tence OF . year he Instituted another
action against the woman. "kaserne
drama or "barrack drama then became
the subject OF court action IN Rerlln
Herr Won Falksnhayn appears TO nave
made somewhat unhappy citation In
this Instance. these two words alone ap-
parently containing no direct Upel. me
Minister OF wars attack on socialist
and that Socialist woman ana that
woman already under prison sentence
rallied the ent ~ Social Democratic press
to the aid Of Rosa Luxembourg despite
the fact that she Is not very popular
with the conservative wing OF the party
II was as II the Socialistic press had
been waiting for the opportunity. Headed
by the lor1rdertS in Berlin, "barrack'
dramas" had become the battle cry OF the
Social Democratic party and its numerous
organs Columns of "barrack dramas in
the form OF detailed accounts Of alleged
mistrcatment and brutal abuse OF prlvateS
In the army have been printed-eNcellent
Socialstic propaganda. IortrdsnS says
that the military court OF the Fourteenth
Division. at Dusseldorf. held twsnty-eight
courts-martial during the first six months
OF the wear, dealing with thirty-two cases
of deseTtion. There are twenty eight d.
visions. II has printed columns or ac-
counts ~ alleged brutal mistreatment of
soldiers
When the case OF Rosa Luxembourg was
called in the Berlin court. Herr Won
Falkenhayn. who was summoned Ivy the
defence. failed To appear. His summons,
II was said by the prosecuting attorney,
mad not been entirely regular Or. Rosen-
field and DR. Levy. counsel for the defence,
announcing that they had a22 witnesses
and the record OF $4,000 cases Of mis-
treatment in the army. demanded that
the taking Of testimony begin. The
prosecuting attorney asked for post
ponement declaring he needed time to
examine the evidence offered.
still further postponement was asked
by the prosecution several days later and
granted by the court The Socialist press
nailed this as a retreat of the Govern
ment" That up to this stage In tho
,proceed.n gs the Government has come OF
second best Is apparent even 10 the resc-
tionary press.
Government seeks Revenge.