Evening star., 1918-12-16
EBERT ASLEADER
CLAIMS AUTHORITY
Asserts Armistice Signing
Meant Recognition by
Entente.
TWO MEN QUIT COUNCIL
BY A. r.. DECKER.
Cablegram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 19lS.

BY A. r.. DECKER.
Cablegram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1918.
BERLIN, Germany, December 10
Today I had an Interview with
Friedrich Ebert, head of the council
of six which is ruling Germany at
the present time. What he said to
me was substantially this: The sign
ing of the afmistice by the accredited
men of the entente with the repre-
sentatives of the German government,
in his opinion, meant that the entente
had officially recogized the present
government.
Is there, or is there not, real gov
ernment in Germany? The council OF
six is governing without real par
lament, the place of which is taken
by the council of soldiers and work
men, which represents only part OF
the people. Yesterdays vote, however,
showed that the moderate socialists,
even in the radical council of SOL
diers and workmen, have slight
majority. Outside of Berlin there is
hardly doubt concerning the 10y
atty of the majority of the people to
Ebert.
On every side one hears expressed
the same desire. namely, that the
the present council Of six shall take
a firm stand against the disorderiy
cally. It appears certain that the
present government Is generally pop
ular and that it will be legalized by
the national assembly.
Doubts Liebknecht's Sanity.
Cablegram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1918.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, December 16.
II believe absolutely that Iich-
knecht is not in the full possession OF
his Senses" Philip Schneidenann told
the Danish writer, Sven Poulsen. THE
returning troops support us firmly.
They have taken ME oath of the new
German republic. The councils of SOL
diers and workmen are merely pro-
visional institutions. Most OF them
ent assembly election by the middle of
February at the latest and possibly
earlier When the delegates OF Ger
many's councils of soldiers and work
men meet they will probably urge the
earliest possible summonlng OF a con-
stituent assembly"
Herr Scheidemann, according to Mr.
Poulsen. did not think that separatist
tendencies would appear among the
various states. He believes that the
Russian bolshevik administration Will
be destroyed in a few weeks and that
the social democrats Will not holo any
communication with it.
Haase and Barth Resign.
GENEVA, December Is (Havas).-
Hugo Haase and Herr .Barth. two of
the three Independent socialist mem
bers of the committee Of six which
constituted the German government,
have resigned, according to reports
received here. The reports add that
George Ledebour, leading socialist.
also has severed his connections with
the government.
Sailors Council Demands Ships.
COPENHAGEN, December 16.-Con-
troll of the merchant marine is demand
ed by a sailors council formed at Ham
burg. according to a Berlin dispatch to
the Berlingske Tidende of this city. The
council threatens to sink all the ships
if its demand is not complied with. The
council insists that the financing be
borne by the ship owners.
Joffe Returning to Berlin.
BERLIN. December 16.-Adolph
:Joffe Russian ambassador to Germany,
who was expelled from Berlin In No
yember because of his activities in ad-
yancing the interests of the bolshevists,
is reported, in a Breslau dispatch, to
have crossed the frontier after bribing
members of the soldiers and workmen's
council. He is said to be returning to
<1o nf n
DAVIS meeting of the soldiers and work.
mems congress in spite of the request Of
the Ebert cabinet that he keep away
from this city.
Adolph Joffe was one Of the promi-
nent bolshevist leaders in Russia be-
fore his appointment as ambassador
to Germany in April, 1918. After his
arrival at the German capital he made
himself obnoxious to the government
there by preaching the revolutionary
doctrines. He was arrested at Berlin
on November and expelled from the
city.
Documentary evidence Of his activ-
tiles was made public later at Berlin.
and Joffe admitted that he had plan
ned, with certain German leaders. to
bring about a bolshevist reign in
Germany. The Ebert cabinet then
Cancelled the invitation given to the
Russian government to SEM deleea-
ton to the congreS of soldiers and
workmens councils, Ioffe being one of
the delegates named by the Lenin
regime in Russia.
$4,000 on Strike in Capital.
LONDON. December Is British
Wireless Service).-The strike in Ber-
lin has reached serious proportions,
according to a dispatch received here
from Amsterdam. Only two newspa-
pers are being published and these as
small leaflets. 1t is said that $4,000
workmen are out.
SOLDIERS ROB AS THEY GO.