davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

able to force military decision And
in hundreds of ways he showed Hert-
ling that Germany was run by its mill
tary master, not by an old professor
who could write philosophical books.
Thus, with the Junkers slowly killing
his suffrage bills and Ludendorf sue
cessfully usurping the functions nomi
nally belonging to the Chancellor, con-
ditions were slowly matured for the
events of the past four months. He un-
consciously bred and nurtured the So
clallst discomfort which finally carried
down both him and the imperial system
tor which he stood. Surely a pathetic
ending to life that had some attrac-
tive personal features. He was seventy
four years old when he took over the
chancelorship, and he must have, felt.
after his resignation, that this final task
of his life added nothing to his record
as a statesman.
Among the very few estimates of
Hertllng's career as chancellor the fol-
lowing from THE Springfield Republ-
can" deserves mention:
"A Bavarian and Centrist, he had
neither the progressiveness nor the popu-
lar strength to contend effectively against
the Prussian Junkcr obstructionists who
prevented parliamentary reform and the
pan-German expansionists and militarists
VINO kept the war going until the very crack
OF doom had sounded. Won Hertling will
hgure IN the history of the war as the
Kramer OF one or two replies to President
Wilson's speeches to Congress and to the
occasional utterances of Premier LLOYD
George. Fortunately for his fame, he was
never in the inner Potsdam ring that pre-
clpitated the wars outbreak He heads a
procession of German dignitaries, conspicu-
Gus in the great struggle, who will sink
rapidly into the grave"
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

universe. But all this activity in the
thin realm of abstract thought was little
calculated to fit him for the hard reali-
ties of the year 1918 And it was no
wonder that he failed to measure up to
the huge tasks with which he was sup
posed to be graphing
For there were forces, far mightier
than he, which made his chancelorship
a period of arrested DEVELOPMENT and
caused Hertling himself to appear as
spineless statesman vainly struggling
to reach an imperfectly apprehended
goal. The Junkers were one of those
forces; they prevented him from accom-
pllshlng the reform of the Prussian suf-
frage; they STAYED it off from time to
time till finally the embitterment of
the population made it impossible for
him longer to retain Office Through his
shllly-shalying he finally wrecked his
ministry, and upon top of that he had
to hear the Junkers reproach him with
being the "gravcdigger of the Prussian
monarchy"
ana Ludendorff was another of those
forces, himself but an incarnation
of the Junker spirit Hertling's weak
ness of will-power supplied Ludendorff
his opportunity, and the great general
seized the rens Of political power and
ruled Germany with ruthless hand. He
prevented Hertling from making any ex-
pllclt declaration of intention to give nm
Belgium till it was too late for his ut-
terance to have any moral effect. He
compelled Herting to dismiss Kuehl-
mann from the government when the
latter said that Germany would not be
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Disarmament the Aim
Of the Soldiers Council

"The officers draw their sabres. But the
Minister Of War exclaims
"'Back with them into their scabbards! l
don't want to swords to-day From this
moment no officer and soldier is per-
mitted to carry weapons off duty!'
Fright hand on the heart, the officers
repeat the oath
We swear that we shall be loyal citizens
of our country; that we with our full heart
and full power shall serve the common veal;
that we shall obey the orders of the Ma
tional Council
"No people in the world has ever sworn
the oath of loyalty in a simpler, more dig
nifed manner than the army of the demo-
cratic Magyar republic. The Magyar an
them rises in a mighty wave and Parliament
Square is like an altar on which the young
nation has offered the supreme sacrifice"
According to "Pesti Naplo," Leuten-
ant Colonel Linder declared on the same
day in a speech that he hoped he would
be the last Minister of War of Hungary.
Anti-mlitarism seems to have been
the keynote of revolutionary DAYS as the
Magyar people emptied to the dregs the
bitter cup of military defeat. This kew
note was brought out with particular
emphasis in a speech of DR.. Joseph
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

Pogany, commissioner of the Soldiers
Council Of Budapest. He declared, in
meeting of the council, that the chief
object of the Soldiers Council is to make
itself superf1uous-to abolish the army
completely. This, however, cannot be
done overnight, and the principal cond-
tion of successful disarmament is the
maintenance of complete discipline as
long as the units are kept together. This
discipline, however, will be enforced in
thoroughly democratic spirit, he said.
One of the Socialist ministers, DR..
Kunfi, addressing the same meeting, paid
tribute to the splendid efforts of Minis
ter of War Linder in behalf of peace 1t
Austrian high command to sign the ar
mistice with General Diab, the Italian
commander. Even in the last minute the
Austrian high command planned a coup
to prevent the surrender, and this at
tempt was frustrated by the energetic
intervention of Lieutenant Colonel
Linder.
From another issue of the Budapest
newspaper we learn more Of the nature
of this intervention. We are told that
when Linder threatened the general staff
with revolution in Hungary, one ofsthe
Austrian generals remarked that mill
ion loyal troops would be sent at once
to invade Hungary and butcher the
rebels.
"All right" Linder said calmly. "But if
you do that, give you my word that the
Hungarian troops will throw open the front
to the Italians without a moments delay."
Of the negotiations conducted by the
new Magyar government with General
Franchet d'Esperey, the Allied COM
mander on the Balkan front, the London
Morning Post" reports:
"The reception accorded to the Magyar
delegates in Belgrade was most remarkable,
and has called forth the warmest appreca-
tion in the Hungarian press. The whole
town was behagged, and the Serbian crowd
cheered and feted Count Karolyi, the Hun
garian leader, whose name, as the 'Pesti
Naplo' says, is symbolica to the Serbians
of peace and international good will. Among
the crowd were English and French troops,
who joined heartily in the cheering.
"'Pest Naplo' says:
"'This fine and brave nation, with which
we as people never had any quarrel and
with whom we were embroiled by the never
sleeping annexationist aims of the Haps-
burgs, which were the fatal inheritance of
the unfortunate Francis Ferdinand-this
brave nation already sees in US Hungarians
no enemy, but an elder brother, from whom
they wish to learn and with whom they
wish to go forward hand in hand
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
that we can earn bread for our women and

that we can earn bread for our women and
children
"Our socialistic convictions and the deep
distress Of our country compel us to pro-
ceed according to socialistic principles in
the work of reconstruction. But I will say
one thing with the greatest possible en-
phasis-this Specialization must not be the
experiment of individual enthusiasts. If
we do not want foolishly to hazard the ex-
stence Of the German laboring classes this
socialization can only be undertaken after
the most serious scientific preparation and
by means of comprehensive organization.
~ want once more to give you the assur-
ance that the German working people need
give themselves no concern about the So
cialstic successes Of the revolution Social
ization will be carried out by the govern
ment according to plan, and resolutely, and
so far as possible even before the National
Assembly. We are resolved to attack the
profit upon capital in the most uncompro-
missing manner. We are willing to prevent
any income not derived from labor We are
willing to levy~upon the large fortunes to
the greatest extent for meeting the cost of
the state. We are willing to collect war
pronts unsparingly. We need pronounced
development Of the inheritance tax and the
republics right to inherit. That is pro-
gramme not Of the remote future, but one
that will be taken up without delay
III the revolution is to be crowned with
success all riotous outbreaks, whether DO
litical or economic must be most energetic
cally resisted. Russia is 80 per cent agra
r'an and only 10 per cent industrial. But
we are q country Of highly developed in
drstry. which must depend upon foreign
trade. How do you think it would be pos
!. sible with machine guns and Browning pis-
tols TO keep our highly developed industries
in operation? Neither have we any desire
to set up regime of few months dura-
tion, in order then to give place to sharp
reaction and still worse regime of force.
We want To create q durable, sound work,
making possible wholesome political life"
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
The Preliminary
Skirn1iSheS

On October 26, according to "Pest
Hirlap," the first revolutionary clash
occurred between the police and several
hundred university undergraduates who,
under the national tricolor and the red
flag of internationalism, marched to the
royal castle. The crowd broke through
the police line guarding the Danube
bridge, invaded the courts of the royal
residence, and hoisted the national flag
on balcony of one of the castles wings.
In the skirmishes with the police three
students were wounded.
The climax of the revolutionary events
is described in the following account of
"Pester Lloyd" leading German news
paper of Budapest, and one of the fore
most organs of the old regime:
"A revolutionary transformation has been
completed overnight at Budapest
"The revolution broke out late in the
evening. it rapidly and smoothly overcame
all opposition during the course of the
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Magyar
PrOpagandisfs

While the Magyar Socialists and radi.
calls who are backing the new govern.
ment do not lose sight of the supreme
fact that the country has been complete.
ly defeated and that a considerable re-.
duction of Hungarian territory in favor
of Rumania, Jugo-Slavia and the new
Czecho-S -Slovak state will be inevitable
they have endeavored, in their negotia.
tlons with the representatives. of the vic.
torious Oppressed races" to prevent the
seizure of the claimed districts in antici-
patton of the award Of the peace con-
ference, which, they hold, is alone en-
titled to settle frontier questions. There
is, however, still a powerful restoration
ist faction in Hungary, the adherents of
which, while conscious that some conces-
sions cannot be avoided, strive to save at
the cost of justice, as much as possible
of the former area Of the Kingdom of st.
Stephen. New Europe" of London.
warns against the intrigue through which
these Magyar nationalists expect to in
f1uence Allied opinion in favor of their
claims:
propaganda on a large scale is now being
launched by Magyar agents in Switzerland
and also in Allied countries with the inten-
tion of saving something of the illegitmate
patrimony of the now defeated Magyar oil
garchy for their successors, the would-be
democratic government of Hungary"
The aims and methods of this propa.
ganda are illuminated by the following
passage, quoted by "New Europe" from
"Pesti Hirlap," the leading organ of
Magyar nationalist sentiment:
ain the three coming months we have to
concentrate all our efforts on the work
abroad; no matter how much it costs,
whether it is one million or 100000 millions
it is worth it. Every article written in
French, English or Italian will save for us
one square kilometre of Hungarian terri
tory
"Forewarned is forearmed," "New
Europe" comments succinctly.
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

eve wish to create the new Hungary, the
independent Hungary, the Hungary of the
working people.
"Therefore, the men who tremble before
the rule of people because it means the end
of their power turn against US with armed
violence.
"They will send you against US.
"The Hungarian soldiers will no longer
fire upon the Hungarian people that de-
mands its rights.
"The Budapest police has adhered to the
peoples representatives, the National Coun-
Gil.
'You gendarmes are the last support and
hope of arbitrary power.
Hungarian gendarmes, do not fire upon
the Hungarian people!
"You, TOO, not the sons of magnates,
but sons of the people. The peoples inter-
ests are your interests, the peoples sorrows
your sorrows.
"Gendarmes, do not fire upon your
brothers
"Be the guardians Of quiet and right, not
the bailifs of despotsm.
"Be first of all Hungarans and then
gendarmes."
The proclamation had it's effect, as the
officers in command of the gendarmes
later declared their adherence to the
new government.
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Ebert, the
Harness-Maker,
N0aU Him
Zn the Harness
.NHE whole world is just now in
4 terested in Friedrich Ebert, the
Il one-time saddler and harness

maker, who is the revolution
ary head of Germany. Everybody
wants to know what form of socialism
he is aiming to set up and how he pro-
poses to bring it about. On December
1 he made the following speech at Ber-
lin, which throws much light upon those
matters:
THE great German revolution of Novem-
ber must not and will not be turned into
dictatorship. 1t must not and will not bring
Germany into servitude. It's task is, on the
other hand to establish democracy for all
time. We Germans have suffered long
enough under the dictatorship of the Junk
e1s and the military. 1t was that dictator
ship which thrust our country into the most
terrible calamity, and another dictatorship
whether it comes from the Right or the
Left, would be insupportabe for the Ger
man people. We want a democracy firmly
built upon a foundation of justice and
constitution. To create this democracy and
place it upon solid foundation will be the
task Of the National Assembly. The Ger
man Social Democracy has ever said and
sung with pride, We battle not with the
weapons of barbarians, not with sword and
spear This old principle of ours must
guide when we have the power in
our hands. Upon justice and reason the
young German republic must be built up
"One OF the most important tasks of the
National Assembly will be to prevent the
threatened breakup of the German nation
and to weld the German people more than
ever into uniform and energetic body
Even though matters may look gloomy in
that respect, still we need not despair No
power on earth is strong enough to shatter
the political unity of the German tribes,
which rests upon the unity of our economic
life. IL we are thrown back into the medic
val system of small states what is to be-
come Of our workmen, whose existence de-
pends upon the German metal and textile
industries and the export trade? 1t is not
exclusively political interests that guide US,
but the economic interests of the German
Working people.
Besides this, the National Assembly
must give US peace, without which we can
neither build up economic life nor Sc
cure food. The hurried evacuation of terri
tory after the armisticc jcopardized the
feeding Of the people in the gravest pos
gible manner and have to depend to
great extent upon help from abroad. But
we can keep our industries going only If it
be possible TO obtain raw materials from
abroad very soon. But even then it will be
a superhuman achievement to build up
again what the war has destroyed. Our
fields, our arabic lands, are completely cx-
hausted, our industries have deteriorated
our transportation is stagnant. The health
OF the people III broken; the German people
are very sick, 80 that they car hardly keep
upon their feet Under such circumstances
IT will be only through passionate energy
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

General Franchet d'Esperey travelled \,
aeroplane from Salonica to Belgrade to n,sa,
the Hungarian delegates. His attitude ~
first was exceedingly stern, and he blamod
Hungary for having fought on the side A.
Germany. AS time went on, however. tina
general showed that he knew that this a.
tion was the inevitable consequence of ar
age past and gone, and he uttered these yerv
significant words: 1T is great piece of eooa
fortune for Hungary that she has Conn,
Karolyi. He is well known to France and
the Entente, and we know that he fes,.
differently from the old school. Rally rouna
hint"
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Behind the
Scenes

1t was only a few days later that the
real danger which threatened the revo-
luton was revealed to the public. The
"Szabadsag" of Nagyvarad, largest pro-
vincial newspaper of Hungary, reports
that the wireless station at Csepel, a
suburb of Budapest, picked up on No
vember 1 message sent by the Austrian
general command at Baden, near Vienna
to Field Marshal Kovess, ordering him
to march against the Hungarian capital
at the head Of loyal troops. The wire
less communication between Baden and
the field marshal's headquarters was i'm
mediately ordered interrupted by the
Hungarian Minister of War, Lieutenant
Colonel Linder
But still the forces of reaction did
not surrender hope. A glimpse of what
was going on behind the scenes is given
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
)OUNT Won HERTLING'S death
y on January 4 called forth al
most no editorial comment in

most no editorial comment in
the American press. Four
months ago a leading editorial would
have been devoted to it by every news
paper in America. This complete
change in the editorial attitude toward
the deceased chancellor supplies a reg
ister to mark the rapidity of movement
In the whirligig of the German revolu-
tlon The double revolution in Ger
many-that Of October, which brought
in Prince Max and parliamentary gov
ernment, and that of November, which
brought in the Socialist regime, with
the abdlcation of Wilhelm II--had al
ready so completely buried Won Hert-
ling from the worlds view that his ac
tual death was not thought worthy Of
more than casual mention.
Hertling did not accomplish great
things in Germany, but he was in nomi
nal charge of the government when big
tendencies were working themselves
out. He did not mean to accomplish
big things, and the things that he did
try to accomplish were things not to his
taste, things that he felt compelled to
advocate by sheer force of political cir
cumstances. He did not mean to intro
duce parliamentary government into
Germany; yet he was compelled, before
taking office, to consult with the ma
jority leaders of the Rechstag, to draw
up with them programme of action,
and to agree with them upon the ap-
pointment Of certain parliamentary rep
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
DETAILED story Of the almost
bloodless revolution at Buda-
pest that has transformed Hun

pest that has transformed Hun
gary, the last stronghold Of
Hapsburgisn, into a democratic peoples
republic. may now be reconstructed
from various European newspapers re-
ceived here. Of the events at the Mag
var capital no adequate picture was fur
nished by the cables at time when the
the last convulsions of the war and the
crashing down of the German imperial
structure
Copies of the "Pesti Hirlap" and
'Pesti Naplo," the leading Magyar
dailies, bear testimony that about Octo-
Der 25 the overthrow of the dynasty and
the establishment of new order were
considered as inevitable, mere matter
of hours Conferences were continuous
ly held at the Kings residence or
rather refuge-at Godollo, at an hours
distance from the capital. Beside Count
Karolyi, the chief of the independence
party, Jaszi, the Radical leader, and Dr.
Sigismund Kunf and Ernest Garami, the
leaders of the Socialists, were sum-
moned. The feeling was general, how
ever, that these parleys were mere for
malities preceding the abdication of the
sovereign.
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

In the case of food, alone, for which fig
ures have been collected from 1000 stores
IN forty-five cities by the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics, no article shows
an increase of less than SO per cent in the
five-year period from November, 1913 to
November, 1918. The greatest increases
IN this interval have been in the prices OF
lard, bacon, corn meal, flour, sugar and
pork chops, each of which has advanced
100 per cent or more.
According to figures from Chambers OF
Commerce, real estate boards and brokers,
and charitable and civic organizations IN
nearly 100 cities there has been TO appre-
clable change in rents paid by wage earn
ers since 1914. Since last November rents
have decreased in some communities.
Others report increase since last june
On the other hand the prices of womens
blouses, mems overals and common ar
tlcles Of wearing apparel have SCARED 10
dizzy heights. The cost of woollen goods
poplin, serge, cottons. voie and percaie oy
the yard has risen with them. The largest
advance in the price of clothing has been
found in the case of heavy shirts ana
overalls
Investigation of the price of coal shows
an increase of 60 per cent for the coun-
try AS whole. The cost of gas and cleo
tricity shows smaller percentage of IN
crease, and in many communities prices
have remained the same since 1914.
Carfare, tobacco, liquor. recreation, drugs
newspapers, are all included in sundries.
These show an increase in cost of So per
cent since July 1914.
The cost of brands Of cigarettes COM
monty smoked by wage earners has IN
creased from Ss to so per cent; cigars from
20 to so per cent; tobacco, from so to ~
per cent. Motion picture shows, which
charged an admission of 10 cents in 1918
frequently charged 15 cents in 1915. incluo'
ing the war tax
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Look at This
$50 Percent
Increase i'm the
Cost of Living!

SAOhDlNG 10 ClSpalCN from
~ Boston, an increase of from 65
~ to 70 per cent in the cost of living
for wage earners is estimated be-
tween July, 1914, and November, 1918. The
figures are from a preliminary statement
made last week by the National Industries
Conference Board. Latest reports show
that the wage earner's burden is even heav-
ier to bear than last year, when the in
crease in the cost of living was rated at
from so to So per cent.
Percentages of increase in the main items
entering into the family budget were:
Food, SS per cent; shelter, 20; clothing,
SO; fuel and light 55; sundres, 55 Apply
ing percentages of increase to these items,
the average increase in the cost of living
as whole is $50, according to the fol-
lowing method of calculation:
Relative Increase Increase
Importance in cost as related
Budget in family d,1rin0 m total
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

Manister-President Of the Bavarian Re-
publc-Led the revolution for over-
throaO of Bavarian monarchy - Was
editor at Frankfort, Berlin, Nuren,-
berg and Munich.
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

WILHELM DITTMANN,
One Of "People's Commissioners" and
Minister for Demobilization and Trn11s
portation An Independent Socialist
leader-Was an editor in Solingem.
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

One of the sin "People's Commissioners, !"
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Colo
mies, leader of the Independent Social
ists-Wos a laaoyer IN Koenigsberg.
New-York tribune., 1919-01-12

OTTO LANDSBERC,
Peoples Commissioner" and Minister of
Press, Art and Literature - Was a
physician IN Magdeburg.
From the Berlin "Togeblatt."