The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-05
GERMANY
NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY
Fate Of Country, Nationally
and internationally Hangs
on Results of Meeting
Tomorrow.
CROSS CURRENTS WORK
Dlssruntled Minority Opens Cam
paisn Of Political Sabotage to
Interfere with SEES
CROSS CURRENTS WORK
by Frank ]. Taylor, United Press


lBy FRANK j. TaylOr, united Press
Staff Correspondent
WE1MAR, Feb. 4.-The fate Of
Germany, nationally and information
ally. hangs on the results accom-
plished by the national assembly
which formally opens here Thurs
day.
The assembly, which really Is the
first congress OF the new republic,
problems brought about by the war;
group consisting largely OF farm
ers, mechanics and other common
many's former rulers-the war lords
and their tunker supporters.
~ A minority OF disgrunt1ed mem
beers have already opened campaign
Of political sabotage to prevent the
assembly from accomp lishing Its pur-
poses, but the government, with the
vast majority of the people behind
1t, is determined that nothing shall
interfere with sterilization of 7olit-
fcal and economic conditions, and is
prepared to go to any extremes to
protect the assembly.
Weimar was actually the capital Of
Germany today through the presence
of Chancellor Ebert, his cabinet and
their entire staff, who have arrived
here from Berlin. Ebert himself will
open the assembly Thursday with
an address to the various bureaus.
each of which has some particular
phase Of reconstruction to work into
concrete form for presentation to the
delegates as a whole. Philip Scheid-
emann is scheduled to begin the po
litical debates Saturday.
There are many cross currents in
the assembly's work, any Of which
might disrupt the proceedings. There
is the contest between the Prussians
and the south Germans for DONNA
ton of the new republic. There is
the campaign to remove the capital
from Berlin. preferably to Weimar.
There are the political jealousies
which will arise when the various
factions unite in coalitions.
Probably the most serious situa7
ton confronting the assembly is the
breakdown OF transportation, the
shortage of raw materials and deple-
ton of national funds. all of which
combine to render social as well as
economic reconstruction most diff
cult. Every public utility and most
private industries are on the verge
"
strain of war conditions. The treas
ury has three million gold reserve
with which to pay 100000 in
notes. The railroads and factories
have been without adequate repairs
for several years. There Is q lack
of raw materials and want of out
let for the manufactured products
that are on hand. The workers have
demanded better wages. In numer-
Gus cases, when they were refused
they seized the factories and d.
vided the money in vaults, taking
millions OF dollars on the pretext OF
communism"
This atmosphere Is breeding the
communist and Sqartacan spirit
Aside from isolated outbreaks, there
is a temporary calm, but the radicals
claim they lost the national elections
only through lack of organization.
Telegraph Office Seized.
BERLIN, Feb. 4.-(delayed) 1.-The
first direct attempt to- interfere with
the national assembly which convenes
in Weimar on Thursday, apparently
has been taken by the soldiers coun-
Gil in that region. Reports were re-
ceived here today that the soldatenrat
in Erfurt (fifteen miles west of
weimar) has seized the telegraph Off
ces there and ordered censorship or
confiscation Of all governmental and
assembly kilograms from Weimar.
The telegraph officials protested. but
we're powerless. At the same time
similar action was taken by the sol
datenrat in Eischenach (forty five
miles west Of Weimar).
The government, 1t was learned to-
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