Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-04-20
BIG STRIKE HITS
BERLIN WAR PLANTS
Workers in Munitions Factories
Are Out.
PALACE is UNDER GUARD
Most of Demonstrations Reported to
Be orderIy-German Newspaper
Commenting on WaIkout, Sees
Demand for Peace.


New York, April 19.-The New York
Times prints the following special
cable dispatch:
The Hague, April ia message
from Berlin says that $4,000 workers
are now on strike in Berlin. The Tage-
blatt admits that considerable num-
Der of these are munition workers.
Copenhagen. April 19.-The number
of strikers in Berlin is placed in even
the semi-official report at 125,O00, and
is distributed. according to the Tage-
blatt, through machine works, some
electrical establishments, and part Of
the munition plants. The Tageblatt's
statement is interesting in view Of a
dispatch from the official news bureau
denying that munitiOn factories are af-
fected. The Tageblat, says, however,
that the great munition industry at
Spandau has not been involved.
Reports in all the Berlin newspa-
pers which have arrived agree in say
ing that most of the demonstrators
were orderly, although roughs resort
ed to occasional window breaking in
Inter den Linden, Friedrich and Leip-
zig streets and other central thorough
fares.
Guards at Imperial Castle.
Soldiers as welt as police were used
in cordOns thrown about Inter den
Linden and the imperial castle. Great
crowds gathered in the neighborhOOd
of the castle during the day and the
temper of the crowd, especially the
women, is described as extremely Bit
ter.
The strikers denounced the farmers,
the wholesalers and the government in
equal measure for responsibility for
the food situation. Even socialist
leaders that opposed the strike made
1t evident to the authorities that fur
Their curtailment of rations from any
cause could not be borne.
Labor representatives interviewed
Lord Mayor Wermuth and the Prus-
sian food commissioner, Michaelis.
Assurances We're given them in regard
to food which it is hoped will induce
the workingmen to abandon the
strike.
Vorwaerts Sees Peace Demand.
Vorwaerts alone of the big Berlin
papers ventured TO comment edito-
rally on the strike. 1t said that the
demonstration was based not only on
the food situation and the demand
that internal reforms be no longer de
layed, but also on the deep longing OF
the people for peace.
While asserting that the peace sen
timent has decisive role in the move
ment, Vorwaerts argues that the strike
cannot be regarded as anti-governmen~
tai, since the Austrian and German
declarations justify the hope that the
policy of the central powers is now on
a path which will soon lead to peace"
The paper laments the fact that the
demonstration viii have exactly the
opposite effect, probably, from that de-
sired by encouraging Germany's enc
mics to continue the war and dimin-
ishing the output of munitions. 1t also
regrets that, among other excuses, a
crowd gathered in front of the vacant
British embassy yelling and cat call
ing.
"Pacifst lntriguer" Acquitted.
No reports of strike movement in
labor centers outside Berlin have been
received. A Kiel dispatch says that
the radical anti-war party got control
of the greater Kiel socialist assembly
and passed resolutions against voting
war credits. Another sidelight comes
from Munich, where woman teacher
was put on trial for "pacifist in
trigues." She was acquitted on the
ground that she was demented from
Overstrain.