Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-27


and other rebels, and drove of some
Spartacide civilians who tried to argue
the case of the sailors and took pos
session of the castle stables.
! After 10 o'clock when firing ceased
temporarily, the crowds broke through
the soldiers lines and soon we're all
| over the east side of Castle square. Some
even entered the court yard through the
battered doors
Perhaps the largest portion Of these
people were merely curious sightseers,
but somehow the rumor spread that the
Spartacides were attacking in large
masses with the sailors.
Consequently a guard OF cavalry, gar
risoned in one of the other palaces was
telephoned for and arrived in few
minutes They drove the civilians ana
even the infantry previously on duty
back from the palace precincts and from
within the court yard.
There was fearful confusion there,
| Nobody knew whom to obey, orders
being given by whoever was able to
shout the loudest Some civilians helped
themselves to rifles bayonets and hand
grenades lying about. A few even tried
to carry off machine guns. However. the
cavalry finally managed 20 clear the
square and the palace. but that they sue
ceeded without making use OF arms was
a great wonder.
Hoffman, Blames Sailors
General Hoffman, was very genial
and gave the following statement:
we are placed here by the Govern
ment and shall act only according TO
instructions. The sailors caused these
proceedings by unjustifiable acts in the
castle and the stables, by making Com
mandant Wells and his adjutants pris-
oners, and by their attitude toward the
peoples commissioners in the Chan
Cellor's palace.
This morning after surrendering the
palace stables. / gave the sailors ten
minutes to surrender and evacuate both
buildings at once, to give up the arms,
and at once liberate Wells and his COM
panions.
when, after ten minutes / received
no answer, the order was given to fire.
My men had already entered the palace
court, when approached by a delegation
from the stables who asked to negotiate
with US
we assented conditionally to give
twenty miputes time The comman-
dants and adjutants were released at
once. Meanwhile large masses of peo-
pie. among them women and children
had been melted by the Spartacides to
attack my soldiers. In this manner the
latter. who. of course could not fire on
women and children. were hors du COM
bat, and some drifted from the scene
of action. They gave up their arms
and returned to the barracks.
There was a lup in the opel ations
and my troops withdrew TO the uniVer-
sity.
Meanwhile the Government appointed
a committee consisting of Reuss for the
central executive of the soldiers and
workers councils. Tost for the navy
council and Mueller for the local SOL
diers' council"
Ebert Government Criticized
The people assembled very early to-
day in enormous masses, many intend
ing to join meetings, which the indie
pendents and SpartiCdes had called for
. o'clock. Doubtless many who do not
sympathize with the Sparticdes at all
will applaud their criticism of the Gov
ernmcnt for its vacillating attitude In
the last two days.
There Is not one paper which ap-
proves the Governments actions not
oven Norwaerts. which sharply criti-
Cizes the peace conditions" asserting
that they should have been quite differ
ent
The Berlner Tageblatt. the Vossische
Heitung and all the reactionary papers
sharply condemn the weakness OF the
Government" Most of them emphasize
that, according to the peace condi-
tons the sailors may remain in Ber-
lin. while General Lcquis must withdraw
his men.
The NossisChe Zeitung prints an inter
view with General Lequis. in which he
state that the Government gave orders
to open fire on the castle and stables.
This Is in contradiction to an alleged
statement by Haase. who says that II
such an order had been given lie must
have known about 1t. The General also
states that he advised the Government
to take certain measures ten days ago,
and IL they had been taken there would
have been no sailors rebellion but he
says