Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-08
ARMS STECE
ATTACKED
IN SPEECH.
BY EBERT.
Driving Germans to
Desperation by Ruthless
Terms, Chancellor Says
in Opening Assembly.
By Associated Press.


Weitnar, Feb. 7.-The opening of
the National assembly was impress
sive for its solemnity, earnestness
and simplicity. Chancellor Ebert's
opening speech, the delivery of
which occupied half hour, was fire.
quently interrupted. 7
Carl Kautsky, under Secretary of
state for foreign affairs in the Ebert
cabinet, was elected president of the
assembly by vote of 374 out of
800.
The Court theater was thronged
long before the appointed time. The
Berlin policemen assigned to Wei
mar kept the huge crowd outside
from interfering with the arrival Of
delegates and others entitled to at
tend.
1t was a democratic looking
crowd we'll, though plainly dressed,
that shufled its way through the
slush and snow of Weimar's streets
to the theater, for every one walked,
save one carriage and one automo-
bile party.
Women Members Nervous.
The % women members were the
distinct curiosity of the afternoon
and the only mirthful event at the
opening of the session was a hesi-
fancy followed by a shrill excited
yes" of acquiescence as the first
woman's name was called. The Sc
cond woman on the list had not ex-
pected to hear her name and showed
evident emotion as it was almost
shouted out.
The theater, especially the tribune
Of the president and the government
benches, was fairly buried in red,
pink and white carnations. The rear
portions of the first and second bal
comics and the gallery were throng-
ed with privileged visitors, includ-
ing neutral diplomats in Germany
who had arrived from Berlin on
Wednesday.
During the chancellor's speech,
members of the government from
the state secretary to their secre-
tariesA stood grouped about the
speakers tribune, just in advance
and below the presidents seat on
the stage. Up to the opening OF
the session, photographers swarmed
the theater. ... ~
Heckled by independents.
Herr Ebert received only a brief
ovation on his entry. He found
himself so heckled by independent
socialists that he was forced, in the
middle of his speech, to turn upon
them with the declaration that their
disorder showed how little evil
times had taught them. He spoke
loudly, slowly and distinctly, his
voice carrying to the remotest part
of the theater with its perfect ac-
coustic properties.
The chancellor's voice shook with
emotion as he touched upon the
points he deemed essential, then
doomed high above the discordant
shouts of the independents when
they tried to interrupt and drown
him out. He aroused approval when
he began by declaring, "We have
done forever with princes and
mobiles, by the grace of God" He
said the German people was now
ruling itself.
There was disapproval mixed with
approval when he declared that the
revolution would decline response
bility for the shortage of food and
the defects in food in Germany.
Protest Against Harsh Terms.
Need, the chancellor continued.
delivered Germany to her enemies,
but he protested against being
slave to Germany's enemies for so,
40 or 90 years.
"Our enemies declare they are
fighting militarism, but militarism
has been dethroned," Herr Ebert
asserted. The speaker took up the
arm;stice terms and branded them
as unheard of and. ruthless. The
whole house was with him when he
protested against the expulsion of
Germans from Alsace and the se-
questration of property.
The assembly broke into shouts
Continued ON Page Two, Column Six.I
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