The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-23
That Class in Germany Would
Line Up in Vote.
Erect a Solid Front Against
the Socialist Faction.
EBERT GOVERNMENT STRONGER
Street Battles Reported in
Essen-Many Are Killed.
Armed MObs Try TO Tear
Down Mine Buildings.

Berlin, Dec 23.-The Bourgeois
parties in Germany are striving to
erect a solid front against the ma
jority Socialists in the coming cleo
tions to the national assembly. The
elections are only four weeks away,
and the former right and center
parties are still much disorganized.
The Ebert-Haase government has
been strengthened in its position by
the recent revolutionary congress,
which not only widened jurisdiction
of the congress, but placed at its dis
posal "a serviceable central committee
of soldiers and workmen councils. This
has been interpreted marking the
defeat OF the proletarian extremists.
AS the majority Socialists are vir
tually in. command of the central gov
crnment and dominate the local gov
ernments thruout Germany, they
as a solid ma jority irrespective of the
future action of the independent
Socialists or the Spartacus group.
Friedrich Naumann. a progressive
leader. writing in the Tageblat recalls
that the position of the majority So
cialists is similar to that of the ma
tional liberals at the time the Ger
man empire was founded He esti-
mates that the radicals who polled 35
per cent ~ all the votes in 1912. may
cent
Herr Naumann adds:
The socialist flood continues to
rise, with it rises our fear of the de-
vas;ation of German economic and
political life. A sound republican de-
mocracy is our only salvation"
The national assembly will be called
to order ten days after the elections,
which will be held January 49, The
session will continue eight weeks.
txDi iOh n ay-a inc ~ he M
tional assembly meet there are Frank
fort, Casscl Erfurt, Bayreuth, Wei
mar and Nuremburg. Berlin is likely
to be overlooked as the progress of
the congress held last week convinced
the out-of town delegates that Berlin
is too noisy.
Fight on Streets.
Zurich, Dec. 23.-Bloody street
f.ehting at Essen between the forces
of the worlmen's and soldiers coun-
Gil ard Spartacides was reported in a
dispatch received today. There were
rlany casualties. The Spartacides ap-
parnntly were defeated.
Rioting started when leaders of a
strike at the Bottorr mine were ar
rested by agents of the workmen's and
miners soldiers council
The Spartacides obtained reinforce
ments, attacked the prison. released
their comrades and imprisoned the
soviet representatives.
Shortly afterward an armed mob
marched upon the Moiller mine and at
tempted to destroy the plant. Work.
men and soldiers forces. planting ma
chine guns at strategic points. met the
rioters with a fire and dispersed them.
Many fell.
Depend on Wilson.
Copenhagen. Dec. 23--Germany is
depending upon acceptance of Presi-
cent Wilson's fourteen principles to
fs,,ti u;
dore Wolfe. editor of the Tageblatt,
declared in an interview with the Ber-
lin correspondent of the Politken to-
hav.
"Germany's future is in the hands
of the allies,'' Wolfe said.
I'VE are relying upon President Will
sons fourteen points to assure us a
negotiated, not dictated. peace. We
also depend upon this program to pro-
vide plebescites for Alsace-Lorraine
the eastern provinces and German
Austria.
Germany is not humbled and is not
powerless. she will rise again.
DIR. Duisbcrg Flccs.
Berlin, Dec. 23-Dr. Carl Duisberg
of Leverkusen, head of the German
aniline dye industry. is reported to
have fled to Switzerland. DIR. Duis-
berg was generally looked upon as the
connecting link between Business
and Gen. Ludendorff.
Bavarians Quit Work.
(By the Associated Press.)
Munich, Dec. 23.-All Bavarian in
dustries employing more than ten per-
sons have been ordered to shut dowr
from December 23 until January !:
forth" purpose of saving coal. The
workers will receive 80 per cent o.
their ordinary wages. of which thu
employers will collect two-thirds from
the communities in which they are 10
Gated. under state treasury ruling
made for the purpose of guarding
industries.
PrusSians Seize Cities.
Washington, Dec 23-Tilsit. Mem
el, Insterberg and other cities in cas-
Russia have been seized by PrussiaI
Lithunians, who are revolving from
the German sIIzerainty. according t.
advices reaching here today.
The German press. admitting thi
situation, views gravely the affairs o
east Prussia from the German stand
point.
BourgeOsic Will Meet.
Zurich. Dec. 2s-The bourgeois
council has called a congress of bour
geoisie from all parts of Germany 70
January 5" according to dispatch re
ceived today from Berlin.
Face Another Crisis.
Zurich. Dec 23.-The Ebert govern
ment in Berlin is reported to be face
with another crisis thru the resigna
tion of the minority members of TIL
cabinet.
Political circles in Berlin. anothe
report says are agitated by rumo
that General Groerer. who succeede
General Ludendorff as chief quarter
Continued on Page Threel