The sun., 1918-12-18
WAR ON REDS IS
BEGUN BY EBERT
Says Peoples Force to Safe
guard National Assembly
Is Being Formed.
SEES PEACE AT STAKE
Declares Cabinet Will Oppose
Any Attempt to Halt Speedy
Calling of Assembly.
Special Cable Despatch TO THE Sun from the
London Times Sertice

London Times Serrice
Copyright. 1878; all rights reserved.
THE HAGUE, Dec. 17.-Chancellor
Ebert, addressing crowds at meeting
in Berlin yesterday, declared war on
the Bolsheviki. saying the existing
state OF things must not continue.
The business OF the whole country
and even the impending peace was at
stake. Either the Government must
be able to conduct its imperial business
or repudiate responsibility. The
peoples defence force was being
formed to make the National Assem-
bly, safe and 1t would soon be COM
pleted.
The Government was determined to
oppose all attempts to interfere with
the National Assembly which would be
called in four weeks or earlier.
DIR. Karl Liebknecht, leader of the
Radical Socialists or Bolsheviki,
marched to the building of the Prus-
sian Chamber of Deputies yesterday,
where the congress OF Workmen's and
and from the balcony shouted down,
Away with Ebert and Scheide-
MANN" A thousand demonstrators
( under the red flag accompanied him
and applauded his demand to the con-
gress.
| DIR. Liebknecht is not a Deputy and
| permission was refused him and Rosa
Luxembourg. another Radical, to enter
the Congress and proclaim the de-
| mand OF the Spartacus League.
Eight Parties in Assembly.
The German National Assembly
when it meets, probably sooner than is
contemplated. will comprise eight par
ties-first. the majority Socialists
headed by Scheidemann and Ebert
second, the independents, with Haase
I.edebour ! and Barth; third, the Spar
tacus group of anarchists. communists
world revolutionaries and opponents OF
parliamentary government. led by DIR
Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
The last named group is numerically
small. but will endeavor TO influence
the elections by terrorism and perhaps
here and there will make orderly elec-
tions impossible. The independents
also expect to have relatively smal
success at the polls.
Two groups are Gistinguishahle a.
bourgeoise parties, namely the fourth
the German democratic party, repre-
sented by the Berliner Tdgebldtt anC
the FrcnkfHrter Zeitung which de
mands that its supporters joyfully as
sent to a revolution and not only ac
cept d republic but defend it, and tn
fifth, the German peoples party, o
which Herr Stresemann is the back
bone. This party Consists OF members
Of the National Liberal party who re
mained true to national liberal princi
pies. 1t has received some accession
from the Liberals and the sixth party
Conservatives in Group.
The German national and the Ger
man peoples party of Won Kardof
unites conservatives. free conserva
tives, Christian Socialists and thos
known as Deutsch Volkische. Tn
eighth is the National Democrats.
new party Of BoUrgeoise Republicans
A letter received in Hamburg to-da
describes the various strikes and mino
disturbances. Great unemployment
prevailing in Hamburg, but some O
the factories are working feverishl
producing munitions. The decline Il
; the popularity Of the extreme revolu
tionaries is emphasized.
There were new disturbances 4
Dresden on Saturday and Sunday. Th
, military guard fired into the crow(
| killing five and wounding fourteen
Among those arrested is a son of tn
, leader of the Spartacus group.
Admits ArminE Workers.
Herr Barth, the peoples representa-
tive, makes the following admission
of his share in the revolution: II d.
not deny having provided severa
, thousands of arms hand grenades an,
equipment for the Berlin workers,
do not deny that these weapons wer
distributed all over Berlin by an eX
cellent organization. / do not den,
there is no large business in Berlil
, which would not have been in a posi-
, ton at the outbreak of a revolution
!; with its storm troops to overmaste
! the police. ] do not deny II II ha
come, the struggle would have COS
, many victims. The Independent So
cialist party only heard Of this organ
ization when II was impossible I
alter matters. | willingly state the
did not raise single objection ther
, but devoted themselves completely an
, peacefully to the necessary task"
p Barth states the money for thes
Continued on Third Page.