The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-04-05
Berlin Bolsheviks
Wild Men Run Riot
Frank J. Taylor Gives Inside
of Revolution-Many Desire
American Occupation.
BY Frank J. Taylor

BERLIN, March 10--(By Mail. y
Bolshcvism's recent struggle in Berlin
was in many way, like an American
Indian war carried on in a modern
city, if you can imagine tat. The
Spa tacus group went on the war
path af4 the fasl't,' OF prar!e tribes
in America three generations ago. In
thci.' fighting the Spnrtacans showed
about the same dey'2c of civilization
as did the Indians.
To understand how such a warfare
could take place in modern city
one has to realize that Berlin was
harboring many conv,cts released
fron, prison by the turn of the earlier
revolution. Most of these despera-
does are not political victims, but
were jailed for killing and robbing.
Since they had everything to gain and
nothing to lose by the bolshevik
movement, they leagued themselves
with the Spartacus group, and for
good pay were ready to commit any
outrage prescribed, The bo!shevists
were simply wild men run lot.
After The gtveen.n ent's volunteer
army had defeated the organized
Spartacus resistance, trouble did not
stop. Spartacans .urked in hundreds
of buildings, more or less fugitives
from justice. From roofs, benind
chimneys, from attiec and windows,
they sniped at government guards,
and even civilians, with no chance OF
accomplishing anything other than
killing.
In the course of a days work you
would run into three or four or pos
sibly half dozen of these outbreaks,
or street fights, as they were reported
in the papers. At the first shots,
crowds would dive into doorways.
The incident ended with a few shots
from the government troops to re-
store public confidence and the crowd
went on about its business. Berlin's
population soon became accustomed
to the outbreaks. Not infrequently
huge crowds would gather to watch
movements of the government troops
against the Spart"cans, and persist
entity stuck around to see the show.
Hundreds were injured, solely due to
curiosity.
More than four-ffths of the Spar
tacan prisoners captured in the up
risings were deficient, either mentally
physically or both, according to
experts who are investigating the boil
shcviks. The discovery may lead to
some importcnt conclusions regarding
bolshevism in general. According to
the doctors examining the prisoners,
the Spartacans are weak, mostly from
under nourishment and sore chron-
icalIy, and they are not in a condi-
ton to be responsible for their acts,
and should not be at large.
The German provisional govern
mcnt is inclined to accept the views
of the scientists, and will keep this
in mind in the trials and punishment
of the lawbreakers.
Revolutionary outbreaks in Berlin
drop upon the city like lightning. 1t
is impossible to foresee them. They
lust happen, when the situation seems
entirely unencouraging to them.
Berlin's revolution is different from
others in that there is no united de-
mand for any one thing. There are
as many demands as there are Ger
mans in Berlin, and some people have
more than one, Until agitators begin
their work there is practically no ae-
tion. Thus Berlin is filed with cross
ing currents of opinion, with each
faction not knowing Just what it
wants. Factions seize upon any pre-
text for demonstration. There is
no clean-cut issue which unites Berlin