The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-02-01
Immediate Peace Without
AnnexatiOns Demand
Made by Workers.
MORE LEADERS SEIZED
Refusal Of Government to
Negotiate Further ArOuses
the People.
r
REPRISALS HAVE BEGUN
Military Commanders Order
Men to Return to Factories
Force May Be Used.
MORE LEADERS SEIZED
REPRISALS HAVE BEGUN

AMsT1ADAN, Jan. 31.-The great strike
In Germany has developed into the most
serious menace that country has faced
since abe declared war against the
Entente Powers. More than 100000
workers are now out and the situation 10
fast becoming more tense. The military
commander at Hamburg has ordered q
cessation Of the strike there. says the
Cologne Gazette. and has ordered also
that future strikes be avoided.
Bad feeling has been greatly increased
by the decision Of the Government that
on important political questions It can
not negotiate with tho workers. nor. In
any case. with strikers. More Socialist
leaders in various towns have been ar
| rested and reprisals for these arrests
have started throughout the country.
This situation mas been aggravated
by the action Of Herr Walraff. Minister
Of the Interior. In comforting with
Lieut.. Gen. Won Stein. formerly Prus-
sian Minister Of war and now COM
mander Of the home forces, apparently
with the view Of suppressing the strikes
by the use Of troops. This has added
enormously to the number Of men and
women who have gone out, for the
women are now taking an important
part In the movement.
Munitions Output Affected.
There Is no doubt that the manu-
facture Of munitions !s disastrously at
fected by the strike. for many Of the
most important factories are in the re-
gions most involved. These include the
| great shipbuilding yards at Kiel. the
military airplane and balloon plants at
, Adlershof. the big arsenals and ammu-
nitions works at Spandau and the great
coal and iron mines and foundrios in
the Wsstphalia region.
! A state Of siege has been declared at
HA1bArG. Altona and wandsbeck. ac-
6oedihx TO the Hamburg Echo. a Social
| ut newspaper. Altona adjoins Hamburg
Its population in 1900 was 16l 900. II
Is the seat of important industries
Wandsbeck Ii three miles northeas. OF
Hamburg. In 1900 it's population was
$4,000. 1t has large brewing and dis
tilling establishments.
The strike has been extended in dis
tricts near Berlin. especially in Tegel.
Adlershof. Spandau and Mariendorf
where 100000 men have quit work. 4
similar number of workmen are on
strike In the remainder Of the empire.
Important war industries arc locate In
Spandau. city Of some 10000 inhabi-
tants. nine miles west OF Berlin. The
Government has large establishments
there for the manufacture Of artillery.
I firearms and ammunition. Tegel. Adler
, shof and Mariendorf are smaller towns,
all within few miles Of Berlin.
! Clergynlen vainiy exhorted the strik-
ers in Hamburg yesterday to continue
their work. The workers proceeded to
the trades union headquarters and
/ adopted resolution opposing the Fan
/ German Fatherlsnd party and demand
Ing immediate peace without annexa-
tions or indemnities. better labor condi-
| tions and improvement OF the food sup
ply.
a deputation waited on the General
in command Of the district and said the
strikeSs would not resort to violence.
The strikers committee. which wa
| formed In Berlin. with representatives
Of the two wings OF the Socialist party
as members Of II, has formulated Ger
tain demands. But. generally speaking.
| an early peace without annexations or
indemnities. as opposed to the Father
land party agitation for the continuance
OF the war. seems to he the greatest de-
sire OF the workers.
The fact that Berlin is wrapped In a
thick fog has made II Impossible for the
l
ton Of pamphlets,
Warnins by the Press.
The German press generally condemns
the strike and warns the strkers that
they have gone the wrong way about
getting an early peace and are instead
harming their own country. Some OF ire
newspapers. however. blame thc Govern
ment The Magdeburg Voiksstin,me. for
example. says thar there is limit to the
patience OF every people, adding:
"It is the task Of b saSacious Govern
ment policy not 10 allow thini's to go 30
far. How things develop depends far
less on anonymous circulars than on
what a people has to expect of its Gov
ernment"
The Cologne Volks Zeituno lectures
the Socialist leaders and says the fact
that representatives Of the majority
wing have Joined the strike commit ee
indicates that the Social Democracy he
lieves that It's hour has como TO bring
about its political peace programmes by
violence.
The Cologne Gazette says that the
Workers Council. formed at Vienna dur
ing the recent strike there, has become
a permanent body.
Some Of the German papers ch!eny
pan-Gernanists, severely rebuke the
strikers The Cologne Volks ZeuuH0
says:
1--WE learn that the strike committee
I'm Berlin has the audacity to aim pis-
J !tol At tho Governments heart with a
ihst Of demands culled from tho Socialist
programme
The semi.0fficial NOrddeutschc An
oosAstns xeitun0 Gays: I'm SO far as the
strikers demands express doubt regard
: Ing the Governments resolve to carry
} out promised domestic refoyns, they are
proceeding from an entirely false prem
iss. II must DO expected that q,
} calmer consideration tho strikers vii
!, ! realize tho harmfulness Of their be-
> havior and return to work"
The paper also characterlzes th'
: strikers as Shining against theIl
brothers In the field" Comw entlng OF
, the political aims Of tho strike commit
tea. u warns the strikers that t1ey vii