South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-05
GERMAN GENER
NOW DICTATOR
Says Movement is Necessary
to End BolSheviSm in
LettiSh Races.

LONDON. June 4-Gen. Won GER
Goltz, commander Of the German
troops in Lettland. or Latvia. one
of the formerly Russian Baltic prov
inces Of which Libau and Riga are
the chief ports. has established a
virtual dictatorship in that country.
under the pretense that he is fight
ing the spread Of bolshevism among
the Let's, according 20 the Reuter-
correspondent at Libau.
About the middle OF April Baltic
German troops which had been op-
Grating in Lettland against the Rus
sian bo,sheviki were withdrawn from
the front back TO Libeau and, under
the direction of the Baltic Baron
Manteuffel. executed a coup d stat
overthrowing the Lettish provisional
government and arresting the Lett
ish cabinet. Premier Ullmanis how
ever. evaded arrest and found asy-
lum under the protection of a Brit
ish mission which was backed by
the presence of a British warship
in Libau.
Was German Trick.
The correspondent asserts that
this coup d. etat undoubtedly was
carried out with the connivance of
Won der Goltz." IL. Will be recalled
than one Berlin newspaper has ad-
mitted that the movement was the
result of an intrigue conducted by
the German barOns in the baltic
provinces who. it is said. had sup
piled money 10 maintain German
troops at Libau
Won der Goltz owes his presence
in Lettland at the head of a large
Ifforce' of purely German troops 10
an article Of the armistice in tn
world war which provided that Ger
man troops should remain in Lett
land until the allies gave orders TO
the contrary writes the correspond
emit His close supporters are Bal
tic German barons who are descend
ants of the old Teutonic knights.
They hold immense tracts of land
and enjoy feudal privileges OF a
kind that were abolished even be
fore the French revolution. These
wealthy landowners are extremely
tenacious of their enormous privi-
leges which they fear 10 see curtail-
ed under the democratic regime
and, the correspondent says they
now have entered into a cOnspir-
acy with Germany's occupying forces
TO overthrow democracy ir Lettland
and prepare the way for annexation
TO Germany.
Think They Own Country.
The Germans act as though they
owned the country and they show
not the slightest consciousness of
having been defeated in the war.
says the correspondent. To a Brit
ish mission which protested against
the disarming of the Lettish troops
in Libau, Won de Goltz replied that
the situation had been reestab lish-
ed but the correspondent says there
was not a word of truth in this for
arms were not restored 10 the Let's.
The British mission here" writes
the correspondent. has no power
to coerce the Germans into doing
anything and this can only be done
through the machinery Of the arm
istice commission at Spa. The Ger
man troops are making no move
ment against the bolsheviki between
whom and themselves they keep
the river "A.
say Let's are BOIshevik.
Won de Goltz pretends that the
Let's themselves are bOlsheviki
against whom he has to guard the
| country"
The Lettish premier, NJ. UllmanS.
\ a refugee in the house of the British
/ military mission, told the CORES
pondent that England should send
ammunition. food and loan 70 en-
/ a bic the Let's 10 raise an army. that
Won der Goltz should be removed
and a representative of the allies
\ put in control This, he said. would
| break the conspiracy for German do
minion.
The correspondent says he was
| invited by Col Warwick Green. head
Of the American mission TO attend a
| conference at his house with three
| OF the Baltic German leaders who
! tried hard 10 win the sympathies
} Of the Americans in support of a
new cabinet which they favored. Col
! Green informed them that he could
not recommend his government to
recognize the situation created by
\ the German coup d etat so long as
/ the Baltic troops exercised cOnstraint
/ and prevented the restoration of the
old government or the creation OF a
new one by a free and fair agree
. ment.
/ FINED S11 FOR FIRING