The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-28
With IRON HAND
New German Dictator Handles
Strike Situation.
He Has Absolute Power to Use
Drastic Measures.

Amsterdam, April 2S.-A new die
tator has risen in Germany and has
taken upon himself the almost super
human task of quelling the ever grow
ing labor unrest. He rules with an
iron hand. He speaks to the workmen
of the empire in a dictatorial language
such as has not been heard in Ger
many since the days of Bismarck's
fight on the Socialists. His powers
are those of an absolute dictator. But
while whipping the wOrkmen by word
and force back to their jobs, he is
striving at the same time to meet
their just demands.
This man is General Groener, direc-
tor of munitions supplies.
He will be a mean hound who does
not work so long as the army stands
opposite the enemy" says he in an
appeal placarded in every nook and
corner of the Teutonic realm and con-
tanned in copies of German neWspa-
pers which reached here today.
The appeal continues:
"Our army needs arms and NUM-
lions. Did you not read Hindenburg' S
| letter? How dare you defy him?
Worst Enemies at Home.
1.-The worst enemies are among US
They are small minded people, and
those who instigate a strike must be
branded before the nation as traitors
to the fatherland and to the army.
Those who listen to their words are
towards.
who dares to stop when linden
burg commands him to work ? We are
not far from the goal. The nations
existence is at stake
At the root of this unprecedented
whip rule lies menace that is cast
ing its OminOuS shadows over the Ger
man empire-"May Day" The first
of May is a traditional Socialist holt
day. Strikes and demonstrations there
have always been on this date, one
year more violence than in another
But for next Tuesday the ground
work is believed to have been laid for
labor rising such as Germany has
not seen before.
AS in war against foreign foes, so
also in combating internal strife, the
old Prussian maxim has always been:
The blow is the best defense
Therefore, as the great fete day of
the proletariat draws near, a powerful
drive drive against the rising labor has
swung into action. General Groener
is the commander in chief of the
home army
Big Uprising Planned.
The radical Socialists, who recently
formed new party, and who are
leading the strikers, present and pros
pective, are working for an uprising
on the Russian style. At a big con-
ference in Leipzig they have framed a
program of the most sweeping reforms
which they mean to enforce before
the war is over. Popular franchise
and the creation of a labor council are
their chief demands.
These demands, General Groener
has announced, have put a different
complexion on the situation. They are
madness" he said, and added:
There shall be no more strikes, and
we will ruthlessly prosecute wire pull
ers and hit these political traitors to
the fatherland with the full force OF
the law"
| Meanwhile, the majority Socialists,
who control the bulk of the German
working element, are working hand
in hand with the government in efforts
to suppress strikes. IN a letter 70
General Groener, the general COM
mittee of the labor federation-com-
parable to the American Federation of
/ Labor in membership and influence
! has endorsed the governments stand
against strikes, saying that the safety
] Of the fatherland IS paramount" They
make strong plea, however, for re-
forms and, above all. for an equaliza-
ton of the food distribution.