New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-27
Continued from page

'"e government, allege that the Cabi-
nets compromise with the sailors
amounted to an abject capitulation and
was victory for the radical elements
and those opposing the calling Of the
National Assembly.
btRLiN. Tuesday, Dec. "a (Bv The
Associated Press) The cause of the
hghtlng between sailors and soldiers
and the Republican Guard in Berlin YES
NSeIo"y ana to-day was the decision Of
QUO Weis, the military commander Of
Berlin, to disband and pay off the
greater number of naval reservists who
mad been doing guard duty at revolu-
,onary headquarters since the out
oreak Of the revolution.
Wells Forced to Pay Men
Opposition to the continued presence
or the sailors grew with the return of
lhe soldiers from the front. and Wells
hnaliy announced that all but 600 of
the 1000 sailors would be paid off and
discharged cav"
The controversy reached climax
tate yesterday afternoon, when dele
Ea'lon OF sailors marched to the head
quarters of Wells, in Inter den Linden.
20 protest against his alleged hostile
attitude. Wells summoned the Rcpuhli
can Guard. which opened fire on the
sailors with machine guns as soon as
1t arrived.
me sailors then attacked the head
quarters and captured Wells and his
i aus Ihey were detained in palace,
ou. were released ultimately.
About the same time a crowd of sail
ors marched to the Chanccllors PAL
ace Tor the purpose Of intcrpellatinc
,he Ebert liaase Cabinet. The Nom
bers of the cabinet were detained fo,
two hours.
Potsdam Guards Summoned
Premier Ebert, fearing that an at
tempt was being made to overthrow
the Cabinet. summoned the Potsdam
Guards. Three companies of infantry
and battery of field artillery present
~ appeared before the palace behind
the IRON gates of which were eighty
sailors with machine guns. The troops
demanded that the sailors dsarm and
disband. 1t appeared for a while that
serious clash was impending, but
Premier Ebert finally mounted motor
truck and announced that the govern
ment wanted both armed forces to
withdraw
The cabinet, he said, was satisfied
to dispense with further protection. A
long controversy as to which side
should move first was settled by the
simultaneous departure Of both the
guards and sailors, but in opposite
directions.
Wells, the military commander. had
been particularly obnoxious to the
radicals aud there had been strong
rivalry between the Republican guard
under his leadership and the public
safety police organized by the hide
pendent Socialists. Both organizations
probably will be supplanted by
mounted troops which are stationed in
local barracks.
Red Palace Damaged
Herman Molkenbuhr, former head
of the soldiers section of the Execu-
tive committee Of the Soldiers and
Workmen's Council, has been APP
pointed military commander of Berlin
in succession TO Wells.
Both the Red Palace and the former
royal stables were damaged externally
by the artillery and machine gun fire
of the opposing factions.
The north facade of the palace
shows two big gaps made by seven
centimetrc shells. The windows were
destroyed and the interior of the for
mer royal apartments is plainly visible
from the street. The west frotat of
the palace also was damaged heavily
while the north walls of the royal
stables were riddled with shot and
shells