The sun., 1919-06-03

RHINE REPUBLIC
Mayence and Wiesbaden Citi-
zens Begin "a Hour DEM
onstration.
C0BLENZ TO BE SEAT
Territory Occupied by Amer
leans Declares Itself Free
Of Prussian Rule.
C0BLENZ TO BE SEAT
By fhs Associafed Preaa.

BERLIN, June 2.-The inhabitants of
Mayence and Wiesbaden began this
morning a twenty -four hour strike in
protest against the attempted coup In
proclaiming an independent Palatinate
republic.
1t also 10 reported that pro- German
Palatinatists at Mannheim declared a
general strike. and that the inhabi-
tants Of the Palatinate. notwithstand-
Ing threats by the French Of court
martial, everywhere are tearing down
the posters proclaiming the republic.
PARIS, June 2-Coblenz will be the
capital OF the new Rhine Republic. which
was proclaimed yesterday in several
Rhine cities. The new Government and
National Assembly will meet there but
the provisional Government will sit n
Wiesbaden. The allied Powers will OBJ.
serve an attitude OF watchful waiting
Portions Of the proclamation have beer
telegraphed to the Echo de Porte from
Metz to Maurice Barres. One signincan,
section follows:
We declare the autonomous Rhen-
ish Republic to be founded in the
bosom Of Germany. It Is a pacific
republic which 10 composed OF the
Rhenish province. Old Nassau. Rhen-
ish Hesse and the Palatinats. The
foundation rests on the following
bases:
1. The frontiers will remain the
same. including Birkenfeld.
.. Changes in frontiers can be
made only with the approval OF other
nations interested as established by
e plebisctts.
8. The provisional Government of
the Rhenish Republic is exercised by
the undersigned delegates OF the
people
I. Elections for the Rhenish Ma
tional Assembly will be held without
delay according to the methods Of the
German National Assembly.
Cobienx is to be the capital of the
new Government and tho National
Assembly will meet there. The pro-
visional Government win at at Wies-
baden. Local authorities will con-
tinue to exercise control for the time
being. The provisional Government
VIII Ihke lno place OF inc Ceutral
Government and the Prussian, Bava-
rlan and Hessian Governments
Rhenish Hessian Nassau Commit
tee. Palatinate Committee, June !.
1919.
Another passage shows the movement
not to be separatist but anti-Prussian
1t says:
Violence from whatever hde must
disappear. The Rhenish people hon
estly and sincerely wish peace
based on a reconciliation Of al peo-
pies. That Is why It separates itself
from the institutions which are the
bases of 90 many wars: Fsudalism
and militariam. II thereby eliminates
an obstacle standing in the way of
a genuine peace.
NJ. Barres says that DIR. Borden. the
President of the new republic. Is the
soul OF the movement He is from Bonn
and before the war was a magistrate
During the war he was a German ON
GER
He is one OF those idealist Rhine
landers who have never been reconciled
TO the subsection OF the left bank OF the
Rhine to brutal exploitation by Prussia, -
M Barres writes. I'VE are In the pres
ence of the temperance Of the old
Germany with which our fathers wers
able to enter into agreements and some
times to entertain fftendship. Thia
happy event became possible only
through the admirable conduct and polit-
ical sense Of the allied armies"