Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-01
HUNGER OUTBREAKS
IN KEEL AND HAMBURG
STRIKE IN BAVARIA

London, Jan 31-The broad features Of
the news fltering in today from Berlin
are, first, that the strike movement UNI
doubtedly is extending and. second. that
the German authorities are endeavoring
10 minimize it's Importance.
Thus far there has been no news re-
garding the decision of Minister of the
Interior Wallaraf at his conference with
Gen. Won stein, commander Of the home
forces, as to what attitude the govern
ment will adopt.
Reuters Amsterdam correspondent says
in a telegram dated Thursday that the
strikes obviously represent the situation
in the least sombre light. The GERMAN
semi-ofhciai news agency says the trou-
bic is stationary and that no disturbances
occurred during Wednesday, that police
Intervention was needless and that work
was partly resumed in several manufac-
tories of greater Berlin, but that in 9TH
/ er quarters operations still were sus-
pended.
In the upper Silesian industrial region.
according to this news agency, the strike
has gained virtually no ground and It
adds that news from the iron and steel
districts Of the Rhinland and Westpha-
liza also is reassuring. In Spandeau work
is IN full swing in most of the govern
ment workshops, the news agency CON
cludes. the trades unions refusing to
have anything to do with the strike
Hunger Demonstrations
The strikes in Hamburg and kiel have
resolved themselves into hunger demon
STATIONS. The extent Of the food prof
teering in Berlin alone is illustrated BIZ
report in the Berliner Tageblatt that
I fines imposed in the Moabit crimina
court in one day exceeded 100000 marks
According to Berlin report received
through Copenhagen, Socialist leaders
from all over Germany have been sum
moned to Berlin for discussion of i'm
portant home and foreign political ques-
tons.
Among the items Of news received
today are that the%strike has now
spread to Munich, Bavaria, where the
Mauser armament works are involved
! and that some Of the printing works
| engaged in the newspaper trade in
Berlin have struck.
While the opinion prevails in some
! quarters in England that exaggerated
accounts of the strike have been circu-
lated by the German government in or
der to influence the engineers on the
| Clyde and other centerS in England
who have threatened to lay down their
tools unless the government gave guar
antees that it open peace negotiations
there must have been and still is, a
very considerable stoppage of work in
German important war industries
State Of Siege in Hamburg
The strike. which was begun in Ber-
lin chiefly because of dissatisfaction
over delay in carrying out Prussian
franchise reform, has more or less
spread throughout the provinces and,
according to a Hamburg Socialist pa
, per, state of siege has been declar-
/ ed in that city and its vicinity where
! strikes occurred in the Nulvean ship
/ building works and the plant of Blohm
and Nossa.
| The strikers committee, which was
formed in Berlin with representatives OF
the two wings of the Socialist party as
members OF it. has formulated certain dc
mands. But, generally speaking, an early
as opposed to the Fatherland party agi-
tation for the continuance of the war,
seems to he the greatest desire of the
workers. who threatened reprisals for Tire
arrest of their leaders. These reprisals,
according to one report. have already
commenced throughout the country, oW-
ing to the refusal of Herr Wallraff, min
lister of the interior to meet the strikers.
The German press generally condemns
the strike and warns the strikers that
they have gone the wrong way about
getting an early peace and are instead,
harming their own country. Some of the
| papers. however, blame the government.
The Madgburg Nolks Stimme, for exam
| pie, says that there is a limit to the n.
tience of every people.
! The Cologne Eotks Zeiturg lectures the
Socialist leaders and says the fact thai
representatives Of the majority wing
have Joined the strike committee indi-
Gates that the Socialist Democracy be
lieves that its hour has come to bring
about IT'S political peace program by yto-
lence.