Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-22
EBERT AND CABINET
GA|NNEW PRESTIGE
Revolutionary Congress of
Germany Gives Leaders
Fullest Authority.
EXECUTIVE BODY CHOSEN

BERLIN, Friday, December 90
The revolutionary parliament, which
adjourned this afternoon, gave the
cabinet the fullest authority to
manage affairs. The prestige of
Chancellor Friedrich Ebert and
Philip Scheidemann has been greatly
enhanced by the appointment of
national central executive committee
of twenty-seven soldiers and work.
ingmen, composed wholly of majority
Socialists.
The committee is largely a body
with parliamentary functions on
cabinet members and has a restricted
veto power.
State Control of Coal Pits.
The congress devoted its closing
hours to problems of Specialization. 1t
approved of state control for such
industries "as are ripe" for the ex-
pertinent, and a start will be made
with the coal pits. Afterward the
steel and chemical industries and the
alkali mines will be in line for
seizure.
Although the bulk of sentiment
was for leaving such complex prob
lens to the national assembly. Emil
Barth of the Ebert cabinet urged
that the immediate start to be made
with the coal miners on account of
the economic situation, as industries
were being menaced by the chronic
unrest in the Silesian and Rhenish
mining districts.
Herr Rickelt proposed Weimar, capi-
tai of the grand duchy of Sake
Weimar-Eisenach,a as the seat of the
first constituent assembly.
The general makeup of the con-
greSS was pronouncedly mediocre, as
the majority of members were from
local soldiers and workmen's coun-
ellis hurriedly organized in the early
days of the revolution. The fact that
the congress convened at Berlin was
responsible for some embarrassing
episodes. such as invasions by SOL
| diers and laborers.
"Berlin Not Germany"
Herr Scheidemann was loudly
cheered by the country members
when, in the course of his address. he
declared that Berlin was not Germany
The socialist newspaper Norwaerts
predicts that the main part of the dis
closures of Adolph Joffe, former boil
shevik ambassador in Berlin, will
shortly be forthcoming. in view of the
former Russian diplomats declaration
that he no longer owes to Hugo
Haase, foreign minister in the Ebert
cabinet, the consideration due a for
| mer friend and political ally. Herr
Haase jettisons Joffe by declaring the
| latter merely supplied him with data
| for speeches in the reichstag.
| The categorical denial by the indie
| pendents that they were beneficia ries
| of the bolShevik rubleS which were
| alleged to have been scattered pro-
| fusely about Berlin while Joffe was
| there leads to the suggestion in some
quarters that the Spartacus group
here to the order of the leader of the
independents. Oscar Cohen, a former
reichStag member, who now is under
secretary to the national ministry of
justice. Cohen left here yesterda Y
for Moscow, ostensibly on official
bushes in connection with the trans
fer of Russian prisoners.
Conducted Extensive Campaign.
The fact that NJ. Radek. who con-
ducts the bolshevik propaganda bu-
reau. was in close touch with the or
ganization headed by DR.. Karl Lieb-
| that the funds furnished by Joffe
| were literally placed at the disposal
of the Spartacus element, who sud
denly were put in position tc
| establish an official organ and other
wise conduct an extensive terrorist
campaign.
The correspondent has been in
| formed that Radek, on the occasion
of his recent visit to Berlin, boasted
| finance the revolution was as nothing
compared to the funds transmitted
| to New York for the purpose OF
spreading bolShevism in the United