The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-03
GERMANS SHOW
OPPOSITION TO
new REPUBLIC
General Strike Against Plan
in Coblenz Area is Halted by
Americans.
(By Associated P-ess1


COBLENZ, June 3-A general strike
throughout the American occupied
area was declared by the Germans at
nine o'clock Monday as a protest
against the reported launching Of the
Rhenish republic at Wiesbaden. 1t
was very brief, however, being only
four hours In duration, the workmen
returning to their labors at 1 o'clock
this afternoon after being warned of
the consequences by the American
military authorities.
The principal strikers were the rail-
way employees and the street car work
ers at Treves and Coblenz. When the
news of the strike became known the
Americans sent word to the labor
leaders that unless the Germans re-
turned to work by 1 o'clock, the lead
ers and all the other strikers would
be deported into sections Of Germany
unoccupied by American troops. The
, inter-allied railway commission report
ed tbs Afternoon that all workers had
returned to their jobs.
Newspapers in Coblenz printed
stories today denying the birth of the
asserting that the report was an ef-
| fort on the part Of certain Germans
| to mislead the population of the Rhine
lands. BY order of the American au-
thorities the Coblenz Volkzeitung has
been suspended for two days for pub
fishing an article asserting the French
had hand In the movement for the
secession on the part of the Rhine
province and claiming that the French
were responsible for the activity of
| Germans who have been fathering the
separation Of the province from
Prussia.
Allies Maintain Order
kilograms intimating that recogni-
tion of the Rhenish republic reported
to have been established on Sunday is
desired, have been sent to command
ers of the armies of occupation along
| the Rhine. They bear the signature
of DR.. Dorton, said to have been named
president of the new republic, but the
officials OF the American third army
have not received any official notifi-
cation Of ny such action by the new
government.
- -. -, ,>la asserts that delegates or
Rhenish Prussia, Old Nassau, Rhenish
Hesse and the Palatinate. after meet
/ ings in Aix-Le-Chapelle, Mayence and
Wiesbaden had declared the autonomy
Of the Rhenish republic from June l.
After declaring that the Rhenish re-
public Is willing to conclude Immediate
peace, the telegram states that the
people Of Rhinelands have no desire
to escape their war obligations as far
as reparation is concerned and that
they are seeking recognition at the
| conference Nv rp Tn
Dorton Is unknown to Americans here
Move Considered Intrigue
4 The Americans are cooperating with
the British and have adopted an atti
tude of maintaining public order and
taking any action necessary against
demonstrations of any order within
the occupied areas. No orders to the
contrary had been received from Gen
eral Pershing's headquarters at Chau
!, mont or from Paris regarding the
: American policy toward the movement
| for the establishment of a Rhenish re
public. All the facts regarding the
: attempt to launch the republic are il
( the hands of the American and British
authorities but the circumstances are
so complicated that officers have de
( cided to steer a safe course and see
) that within their areas their authority
is respected from all sides. They held
that they have the right only to regu
late affairs and maintain order.
The Americans say there are no in
Gications that the Germans generally
desire republic and attribute the
: movement to a handful Of intrigues
but they are unwilling to permit tht
American area to be used as battle
ground for rival factions.