Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-04-11

in this territory If they are awarded
it by the peace conference. 1t is a
case of Belgium and northern France
over again.
Again setting out to overthrow the
Ebert government, the Spartacans and
minority socialists of Germany have
started general strikes in Berlin,
Frankfort, Stuttgart and other cities.
Bloody riots ensued in some places,
notably Frankfort, where several hun
dred persons were reported to have
been killed. Ten thousand workmen
there paraded the streets and looted
a great warehouse that was full of
foodstuffs and Their battled with the
government forces sent against them.
The German troops opposite the Cob
LEM br~idgehead occupied by the Amer
leans were moved toward Frankfort,
after permission was obtained from
the French military authorities in the
Mayence bridgehead zone to enter the
disturbed city. The streets of Stutt-
CART were filled with great crowds and
Will lIOODS anu llIClC was u
shooting; the government, at last ac-
counts, was master Of the situation
there. Martial law was proclaimed
throughout the entire Rhineland. The
strikers demanded that Germany re-
sumo diplomatic relations with Rus
STA at once. In Berlin, though the
leaders of organized labor were sup
porting the government, more than
10000 workers were out by Thurs
day night and more struck later. Reu-
ter's correspondent in Berlin says
sympathy with Spartacism is spread
ing among the better classes, includ-
ing officials, teachers, clerks and peo-
pie in similar walks of life. They
are all thoroughly discontinued and
argue that things cannot well be
worse than they are, while bolshevism
at least opens prospects of better
things some day for their children in
the way of food. The people assert
that the only way the poor can be per-
suaded of the fallacy of bolshevism is
by giving them liberal food %rations,
especially meat, bread and fats. The
correspondent quoted said there was
much talk of the imminence of a new
coup.
The evident aim Of the ~Spartacans
was to upset or greatly disturb the
government before the meeting of the
soviet congress, called for this week.
This assembly is fraught with peril
for Ebert and his associates, for the
delegates may not take at its face
value Scheidemann's promise that the
soviet principle shall be anchored
firmly in the constitution.
The covenant of the league Of ma
lions was completed last week and
submitted by the drafting committee
to the commission. What vas done
with the various amendments suggest
ed was not announced. Organized Ia
Dor in Great Britain at its national
conference adopted resolutions de-
handing that the league plan be in
c~orporated in the peace treaty and
proposing certain changes in the cove
nant. 1t asked that the principle of
self-determination be extended to all
colonies and dependencies, which, of
course, would include India, Egypt
and presumably Ireland; it also asked
that CONSUMPTION be definitely prohib-
tied and that the principle Of univer-
sal military training and service be
adopted in it's stead. This will be of
interest to union labor of the United
States, which always has fiercely OPP
posed anything like universal military
training.
From far-off Abyssinia comes news
of two revolts against the government,
one headed by a grandson of King Jo-
names II, who died in 1889, and the
other by the governor Of Dediazmach,
wherever that may be. 1t is said the
Abyssinian government will send a
delegation to Paris to ask for the ad-
mission of the country to the league
of nations. Spain also has announced
it's adherence to the league when it Is
constituted.
Political interest in the United
| States last week centered in Chicago,
where William Hale Thompson was
reelected mayor, despite his wretched
war record. His victory gives his fac
ton a commanding position in the Re
publican affairs of Illinois, according
to its claims, and there is talk again
of trying to obtain for him the nomi-
nation for the presidency. Probably
no other aspirant for that honor is
worried by this.