The Washington herald., 1918-11-11
Messages Tell How Ebert
and Scheidemann Took
Over Government.
SUPPORTED BY TROOPS
General Strike in Berlin Or
dered by Workmen
and Soldiers.
EBERT APPEALS FOR ORDER
Alleged Text of Pronouncement
Pledges New Popular Rule
to Quick Peace.
SUPPORTED BY TROOPS
EBERT APPEALS FOR ORDER

Wireless messages from Nauen,
picked up by the United States Naval
Radio and made public by the State
Department yesterday, purport TO give
details of the revolutionary changes
now taking place in Germany.
On 1.-THE face of these dispatches
Prince Max had no choice but to as
sign to the Socialist. Ebert, the task
or organizing the new government.
The State Department. however.
makes 1t plain. in giving out the mes
sases, that the department does not
vouch for the accuracy of the state
ments, except as to the fact that they
were sent out from Nauen.
Ebert. the new chancellor, has is
sued pronunciamento announcing
that he has taken over the chanceI-
lorship and committing the new regime
70 policy early peace. He ap-
pealed to the people to preserve order
. The Socialists had powerful back
ing from the military. A Socialist
membe r of the Reichstag. Wells
started the movement among tho
troops in a speech in the courtyard
of the barracks of the Alexander
Regiment, one of the dispatches says.
The regiment then decided-a large
number of its officers participating
to send a delegation to the ReiChs-
tag, where the Socialists and 'Inde-
pendent Socialists were holding per-
manent joint sittings following fneir
declaration Saturday morning that
they were leaving the government.
Various delegations of the AleXan-
der and other regiments garrisoned
in Berlin and neighboFing towns ap-
peared in the Reichstag and expressed
their allegiance to the new popular
government.
Went to Prince Max.
At noon Saturday. with these as
surances of support, Ebert and
Scheidemann went in a military au-
tomobile, accompanied by troops, to
the Chancellor. Prince Max and de-
clared that they were decided to take
the government in their hands. Be-
fore this display of power-the Kaiser
and crown prince having abdicated-
it is plainly evident that but one
course was open to Max This ex-
cerpt from a speech made later by
Scheidemann tells succinctly the re-
suit of the interview:
Ordinances of the government have
only validity with Ebert's signature;
ordinances of the war minister only
when countersigned by the social
democratic assistant"
Disturbances in all parts of the
German empire are reported In one
of the dispatches. 1t is asserted, how
ever. that they remain almost every
where within the limits OF economic
order"
Work at StandstiII.
A general strike. ordered by the
Workmen and Soldiers Council Of
Berlin. began Saturday morning at >
O'Clock. All works are at stand
still. 1t is reported. but the necessary
provisioning of the population will be
maintained, the Socialists assert.
Little persuasion was necessary to
win over the troops, If the dispatches
can be believed. Immediately the
strike in Berlin had begun, great pro-
cessions of strikers, with red flags
at their head and accompanied by
armed soldiers from all branches of
the service, marched from all suburbs
to the interior of the city.
"At first soldiers and officers were
demanded to take off their cockades
and shoulder-straps" (remove the in
sigma of the imperial government,
it is related. ITO a large degree this
took place voluntarily; general fra
ternizatiop of sailors, soldiers and
workmen took place; many went into
the barracks and found also here en-
thusiastic reception from the soldiers
MilItsry garrisons of factories had
left the workshops in common with
workmen and acted together with
them
Ebert's Appeal to People.
The dispatch in which Chancellor
Ebert Is represented as appealing for
order and pledging the new govern
ment to peace as soon as possible
reads as follows:
.'Citizens:
Former Chancellor Prince MAY >,
of Baden, with assent of all state
secretaries. has charged me to
carry on the business. of chan
ceIlor.
Il am going to form new gov
ernment with parties and shall
report within brief delay about re-
suits to public. New government
will be government of people.
Its endeavor must be to bring to
people peace as quickly as possi-
Bile and to confirm liberty which
has been gained.
Citizens, i ask for the assist
ance of you all in the heavy task
which awaits US. You know how
seriously war threatens appro-
visionment of people. which is first