Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-17

phlet written by him. The charge OF
high treason was not proved, but he
was convicted on a less serious count
and sent to prison for eighteen
months.
DIR. Liebknecht visited America in
1910 and lectufed in New York dur
ing his stay in that city.
In 1912 he was elected to the Ger
man reichstag from Potsdam and the
next year caused furore in Germany.
krupps. saying that that organization
was inspiring war spirit against the
French. He continued his attacks
and in the course of debates mentioned
Emperor William and the crown
prince as being involved in the alleged
conspiracy centering around Krupps.
AS result of his revelations several
army officers were tried for accepting
bribes from Krupps. They were con-
vieted, but received light sentences.
When the great wardrobe out DIR.
Liebknecht refused to do military
been executed. This report was un-
true. and he was later found in the
ranks of an engineer battalion on the
Russian front, where in December.
1915. he was seriously injured by q
falling tree. r-,e.
Controversies With Junkers.
Although in the German army, he
did not cease his attacks against the
military system, and several times
he was reported to be involved in bit
ter controversies with the junker
leaders of Germany. This struggle
went on until May /, 1916. when he
diary address at a May day demon
stration in Berlin. After trial he was
sentenced to prison for thirty months.
From this sentence he appealed and
on retrial was sentenced to Jail for
four years and one month.
This sentence resulted in grave dis
orders in Berlin and Spandau, de-
mands being made for Liebknecht's
release. While in prison he continued
to write articles which were given
clandestine circulation among the
socialists of Germany. One of his
pamphlets accused the German gov
ernment of being guilty Of bringing
on the war. During his imprisonment
he was elected to the reichstag from
Spandau.
After being in prison two years and
two months he was released on Octo-
Der "a. 1918. In the political cata-
clysm that developed in Germany
early in November, resulting in the
abdication of Emperor William, his
flight and the establishment of a So
ciaiist government, DIR. Liebknecht
played prominent part.
When the Ebert government had
been in existence only few days DIR.
Liebknecht became leader of a radical
socialist faction known as the Spar
tacus element. Rumors came to the
world that a terrorist revolution was
imminent. and this developed late in
December. The rising tide of radi-
cal:sm reached its crest during the
first week of January, when the Spar
tacaus came into armed conflict with
troops loyal to the Ebert government.
After a week of ightipg the Spar
tacans were defeated. During the
conflict il was reported several times
that pr Liebkne had been killed.
Rosa Luxemburg's Career.
Rosa LuNemburg was formerly
principal editor of the Vorwaerts, the
organ OF tho German socialists. She
often came into conflict with the au-
thorities and twice underwent I'M .
prisonment for freely expressing her
views on subjects connected Win tne
government.
She was consistently opposed to the
war and at one time her writings brought
about criminal proceedings against
leaders of the socialist party. When
the revolution broke out in Berlin
early in November she was reputed to
e the leader of the most violent group
of socialists. Later she seconded DIR.
in his efforts to organize
the Spartacus element. although she
opposed DIR. Liebknecht's
proposal that elections for the ma
tional assembly be held at once.
When the Spartacus uprising grew
to open rebellion against the Ebert
government she played an important
part in urging the revolutionists to
attack the government troops. When
il was evident that the cause, at least
for the time being. was lost. she was
reported to have left Berlin. Her ar
rest was reported on Tuesday.
Karl Liebknecht was the son OF VIII
helm Liebknecht, a close friend OF
Karl Marx and German socialist
leader. The elder Liebknecht suffer-
ed eight months Imprisonment for
starting revolution in Baden in 1848.
He was elected a member of the north
German reichstag in 1867 and served
there almost continuously until his
death in 1900. For his opposition to
the Franco Prussian war the elder
was condemned to two
years imprisonment for treasonable
He has been looked upon
As the founder of the united German
socialists