The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-12-26

This question of reparation brings
up the matter Of commercial boycott.
Many authorities assert that the only
way Germany can pay will be by OBJ
tanning raw materials from the coun-
tries she has been fighting and selling
her products in their markets. Very
likely the peace conference will declare
against the boycott idea, but it will
not be so easy to persuade the peoples
of the allied nations to buy German
made goods. Most of them would pre-
fer to see Germany reduced to the po-
sition she has earned for herself, to
have such money as can be taken from
her, and to let the rest of the financial
reparation go by the board. Austria,
too, is making the loud wall for raw
materials and markets. DR.. Franz
Klein, who will represent at the peace
conference the sO-called Austrian re-
public, provided he is admitted, is re-
lying especially on America to be
"fair" and to solve the troubles of the
late empire so that all the republics
can live in peace and prosperity. Some
job
Ia
Conditions in Germany are almost
as uncertain as in Russia after the
fall of Kerensky. Just who or what
comprises the government 1t is hard to
say. Premier Ebert and his moderate
socialist colleagues are still the nomi-
nal rulers of Prussia, but DIR. Karl
Liebknecht and his Spartacus group
of socialists-the German equivalent
of the. bolsheviki-are vigorously
fighting to get the upper hand. They
are especially strong in Berlin, which
is in state of great disorder. 1t is
reported that Liebknecht has $1,000
men well armed and is planning ter
rorist revolution. He reviies Ebert for
asking food from America, for, since
this is conditioned on the maintenance
of order, it is yielding to capitalist
effort to beat bolshevik aims" Lieb-
knecht's organ, the Red Flag, demands
the dismissal of officers and the
choosing by soldiers of their leaders;
the immediate arming of the revolu-
tionary workmen and the disarming Of
all other organizations; the destruc-
ton Of capitalism, the annulment of
war loans and the specialization of all
business.
The soldiers and workmen's coun-
ellis of Germany have demanded that
the ex-kaiser be tried by a German
tribunal, which would probably be
the best he could hope for.
ia
In many parts of Germany there is
swift reaction against the bolshevik
movement, and it threatens to grow
into counter-revolution with the pos
sible restoration of the monarchy.
This is fostered by many officers and
supported by certain units Of the
army. That it will go far seems quite
unlikely. The soldiers and workmen
generally, however, seem disposed to
support the Ebert government rather
than the Spartacus group.
The leaders of the Bavarian repub-
lie have induced the Berliners to de-
mand the resignation of Doctor Solf,
whose retention as foreign secretary
has been one of the puzzles to outsid-
ers, and to exclude Matthias Erzberger
from the peace negotiations.
Ia.
The late leaders of Germany and
Austria are quarreling among them
selves concerning who was responsible
for starting the war, and the present
leaders are demanding that this ques-
ton be settled by an inquiry and the
guilty ones punished. How much
chance there is of fair investigation
is revealed by the fact, just brought to
light, that the German foreign office
burned all the documents in the ar
chives that might place the responsible
ity for the war on the German govern
fment. 1t is interesting to note that
Doctor Solf has proposed that a neu-
trail commission inquire into the orr
gin of the war.
The allied armies of occupation con-
tinue their march into German terri
tory and are meeting with no resist
ance and little trouble of any kind.
The Germans are not keeping up TO
schedule in complying with the armis-
tice terms, but say this is impossible
in some instances. For instance, they
cannot gather the required number of
locomotives, and the airplanes called
for are being given up where they are
instead of being collected and surren-
dered in a bunch. The last of the Hun
submarines have been turned over to
the allied fleet and the Germany navy,
whose personnel was denounced by