The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-04
Labor Leaders Advise Work
men Return to Their Jobs.
Execution Awaits Those Not
Back at Z A. M. Today.
COURT MARTIAL AT BERLIN
First Defendant Gets 6 Months
for Distributing Circulars.
Conditions Return to Normal at
Big Munition Centers.

Amsterdam Feb. 4.-The general
strike in the central powers is wan
ing. according to German newspapers
received here today. Thousands of
workers were reported to have re-
turned to the factories Sunday, altho
in isolated sections small new walk
outs were described
A copy of the Vossisehe Zeitung re-
ceived here declared that Sunday night
strike leaders counselled resumption OF
work in the face of the death threat
of military officials. In Madgeburg.
Ludwigshaven and Breslau, it was
said, the strikers followed this advice
and hocked back to the factories.
Conditions are normal in Essen, the
newspaper said.
The Vorwaerts, describing the first
military courtmartial of strike agita-
tors in Mobait, a suburb of Berlin, said
the building was heavily guarded by
troops and that citizens were excluded.
First Courtmartial Case.
The first case called was that of
Heinrich Schu1tze. an Independent So
cialist. He received six months i'm
prisonment for distributing strike lit
erature.
In Cologne the president of the Ia
bor organization attended a strike
meeting to convey the demands of the
imperial chancellor. After a short de-
work.
The Lokal Anzeiger declared that in
eastern Saxony .'the strike is waning"
Half the employees of the Krupp plant
who struck have returned to work.
partial strike occurred in the Gothic
aeroplane factory at Dusseldorf. Many
small. isolated strikes are said to have
ended.
The Cologne Gazette carried a
statement from the management of
Krupps, saying that only 400 of its
110,00 employees quit work.
Report New Strike at jena.
The Tageblatt reported a new strike
az Jena, a third of the workers there
quitting.
Efforts of the conservative press to
show that British agents are foment-
ing the strike are regarded here as
feeble.
Fate Hung on Workers Decision.
London, Feb. 4-German militar-
ism tried its supreme test within its
own borders today. The common peo-
pie, whose general strike to enforce
demands for food and consideration of
peace negotiations reached it's climax
in rioting and bloodshed last week,
had the alternative of returning to
work or paying the extreme penalty
death by the firing squad
The fate of Germany-and in a
lesser degree, the whole world-de-
pendS upon the strikers decision.
If they submit to the supreme COM
mand's ultimatum, it will mean that
German militarism has won another
victory and that the central power
may again concentrate their efforts in
preparing for the spri1g drive against
the allies.
Refusal Means Revolution,
If they do not submit, bloody civil
war thruout Germany and Austria
Hungary will result
There is tendency here that the
death threat will. temporarily COW the
worker into submission
There is a belief, too that such a
victory for the militarists will furnish
only short respite. If the coming
German offensive is ineffective and
the slaughter heavy, both of which are
anticipated. another uprising Sby the
people is regarded as almost certain.
The statement issued from the in
ter-allfed conference at Versailles yes
terday declaring for vigorous prosecu-
ton of the war until a peace can be
obtained, bases on the principles of
freedom, justice and respect for inter-
national law" is expected to be seized
upon by German leaders to convince
the people that it is necessary 10 fight
to the last man to crush the allies on
the western front.
At the same time, the statement in
dicates that the allies have made su-