The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-27

Amsterdam. Jan. 26.--The German
majority Socialists, whose steadfast
support OF the government Ia the past
has time and again saved the empire's
home front" from cracking. has
bolted at last. The cause In Cham
celLor Won Hertling's defiant speech
replying to President Wilson's peace
terms.
Their leader. Philip scheidemann.
Just back from an extended and mys-
ferrous stay at Stockholm, where h0
was seen In the company of Bolshevist
ernissarfes. made sharp front against
Count Hertlings stand on peace. Ad-
dressing the reichstag main commits
tee, he made a passionate plea for
psaca by understanding before spring.
The U-boats had failed he said, and
even II France and england wer8
beaten to their knees Germany would
still have to face the mighty armed
and economic power OF America Ha
insisted that the Brest -Ldtovsk parleys
must not be allowed TO break up. He
plainly threatened action by the Ger
man masses If Junkertsn further hiii-
dered peace.
In the event OF disappointmen
Of our hopes regarding the western
front. he said. what then. IL not
CATASTROPHE"
Against Drive In West.
In this statement is seen the OPEN
!rg gun in a vigorous German So-
cialist campaign against the contem-
plated supreme drive in the west
Characteristic of the Socialist view
of Count Won Hertling's speech was
also this sarcastic CONNER by vor.
waerts:
The speech is a real masterpieces
fnasmuch as II could he Interpreted
in favor of both the annexationists and
the pacifsts
Other remarks by the ma jority So-
cialist spokesman showed his party
in complete harmony with the stand
Austria has taken toward President
Wilson's peace terms and toward RUS
STA.
"A complete and honorable rciin-
statement OF Belgium is our duty
said Scheidemaun. Let us try ia
save the world from new bloodahed
In the spring"
Promptly ene OF the chief journal
istic swashhucklers. the Junkerist
Kreuz Zeitung came out with n yio-
lent article demanding that Scheide-
mann and Ebert. who had made sina~
liar remarks a few days ago, be shes
az traitors
The ink was still wet and tf1n
presses still rolling when the military
authorities ordered ths paper sur,-
pressed for an indefinite time
No more significant action has been
reported from Berlin in months. for
It means that the government u
aware OF the Socialist power ana
deemed It the better part of wisdom
to repudiate this attack upon their
patriotism.
Rfsfhdav nf Katsar
Tomorrow is the kaiser's fftyx
ninth birthday. In ordinary time4
this is the most non-religious Ard
widely celebrated holiday in Corr
many. The temper of the Teutnnfe
peoples. all dispatches show beyond
peradventure of doubt, is far from
irnbued III this moment with inciinA<
tons 10 glorify crowned heads.
Tho unrest that has kept Austri&-
Hungary in suspense for two weelgN
and that dictated Count Cyernin'e re-
ply that was almost a plea has sweIfk
across the A9rders into Gern11nAs
While - ~. Hapsburg empire tlfe
movement lacks leaders. becanse MI
the multiple complexion both ~ 6
races and ideas, the German 30
Gin lists are exceiiently led. Thex
have not yet made the cican-ctjA
break: they are still marking ttm1
giving the government laat
chance" s 5ssSS
But the moro radical factions thp4
behind which Liebknecht. still III j41t
and Haase are che moving ep4x3 M
are. described In authentic disr4 fe
a. ripe for LARGE nca3e rae1pl 81
and REPRESENTATIONS ftx l. q