The daily times., 1919-07-09
CONDITIONS
IN GERMANY
Noske, War Minister, Derides
Idea That Old Regime
Can Secure Control
OF POLITICS IN THE EAST
OF POLITICS IN THE EAST
(New York Times)

Berlin, July 6.-"Never since the |
proclamation of the German Repub-
lie was there less danger of reac-
tionary attempts to regain power
than at the present moment" said
Gustav Noske, the Federal War Min !
lister to the New York Times corre-
spondent, with whom he was discus
sing the never ceasing rumors of a
coming military coup. my only !
on the fulfillment of the so-called
dishonoring paragraph of the treaty.
namely, that calling for the extradi-
tion of certain military leaders, the
fiery natures of some of the officers
may give me serious trouble, which.
however, I hope to overcome by an
appeal to their sense Of duty to the
Fatherland. This appeal has never
failed with our officers OF the volun
teer army, even when it was needed
at the cost of military caste and fam
lily traditions.
The Times correspondent called
/
report in Die Freiheit of a mass meet
ing of students in Leipsic at which
an unnamed officer appealed to the
, youths not to desert the officers
when, in two weeks time, they
should be compelled to declare
against the present Government.
eve know all about that meet
ing" said Herr Noske. "It occurred
four weeks ago and, according to
| that officers statement, Germany
should have been in the midst of an
| anti-republican conflagration for the
last two weeks. 1 am quite aware
that there are many officers who
would prefer a monarchy to re-
public; but they know only too well
that the moment they tried to make
use of their men and under-officers
for monarchical ends they would find
themelves completely deserted. We
are prepared even for a military re-
lVolt and
Il am aware the Times CORE
spondent said, supplementing Herr
Noske's hesitating statement, "that
| in any such emergency it is planned
that the Socialist and other labor
parties organizations will immedi
ately declare a general strike all ov.
er Germany, which would make the
transport of single regiment i'm
possible, even if the officers should
Il hx,f l.
and that it is asserted that such q
military revolt would die a natura
death within one week"
Herr Noske smiled, but showed M
inclination to discuss details.
But is not the Westarp-Hyde
brandt ukase to the National Peo
pies party, demanding the restora
ton of the monarchy under the Ho
henzollern to be regarded as oper
rebellion against the present Govern
ment?" asked the Times correspon
dent.
"The present German governmen
is the most liberal imaginable an
swered the Minister, granting ev
erybody freedom of speech and o
the press, and so long as Westarl
, and Heydebrandt refrain from &C
) tually conspiring to create an up
: heaval they can talk as much as the.
. like. It would be astonishing i
they talked differently after thei
{ families for centuries have lived OF
and in behalf of the Hohenzollerns
, in whom they saw the embodiment O
everything great and noble in tn
, world. There is no accounting 70
ones ideas.
''But it is one thing to please one
self and ones clique with heroic pic
lures and grandiloquent talk, and /
. different thing actually to depose tn
dominating republican power. West
arp and Hydezrandt are much. to
shrewd to attempt anything of tha
sort, knowing that they would max
themselves mortally ridiculous, an
e we certainly can afford to let the1
s talk"
"But didn't they feel backed p
: Generals Hoffn IN and Borne, VIII
: threatened opel rebellion and wa
against Poland?'' asked the Time