The Mankato free press., 1919-05-09
PACIFISTS ARE PEEvED
Soldiers On Hand To Ward off
Radicals; Would Overthrow
Government
FRANK J. TAYLOR.

Gals.
The two courses open, as the Ebert.
Scheidemann cabinet saw them, were
One. Bowing to. the demands o
the proletariat and becoming radical
almost TO the extent of communism
or at least extreme socialism.
Two. Becoming militaristic anC
following the methods of the old Ger.
man government of crushing opposi.
tion by force.
More and more it is becoming clear
that the cabinet chose the latter
course, probably in self defense, and
under the pretext of saving Germany
from bolshevism.
What is more serious, both to Ger
mans and other peoples, is that the
German republic is becoming handy
with militarism, and under the cover
of resisting bolshevism" is evidently
trying to hide the strength of the re-
public's military machine.
Figuring that the new republic, il
1t were really pacific, would be will
ing to make "show down of Ger
many's military strength to convince
the outside world of good intentions
The United Press correspondent
asked the war office for some data.
Explained Weakness of Germany.
Finally the war office sent for the
correspondent and an agreeable young
captain, explained how weak Ger
many is at present, militarily. He
said Germany could not even resist
the bolsheviks, if the latter chose to
rise.
Asked what the actual strength OF
the German forces is, the captain re-
piled that the war office itself did not
know. This ignorance of the war of
~fice, he explained by the fact that
numerous leaders were organizing new
volunteer units. The captain declined
( to guess the strength of the German
forces on the grounds that he did
not want the figures published 'for
fear the bolsheviks would see how
weak the militia is ard overthrow it,"
Every man in the army is a vol
unteer, according to the war office.
Berlin Is crowded with soldiers scat
tered over the city, but this is due to
the fact, says the war office, that
members of the old army regulars who
are no longer on active duty, have to
be housed. Hence the crowded bar
racks. The war office offered no ex
PLANTATION as to why these men were
fed and housed. though inactive. and
the active work of guarding Berlin
is done largely by provincial troops
Enlistment is Indefinite, in the
volunteer units, with the condition
that man can leave the militia upon
giving four weeks notice. Every unit
has band, many of the first rate,
Guards with rifles ready are every
where, and auto trucks armed with
machine gun roam about the city in
search for trouble. Barbed wire bar
ricades are not removed from many
streets since the last fighting.
Berlin Well Protected.
Except for a wave of crime, robbery
and plundering, which swept Berlin
is well protected. The war office is
busy and rushing. Swank officers are
numerous and are as monocled anC
military as in the old days. Demo
cracy is manifested, however. in tht
agreeable way the War Office trea
outsiders new thing in Germany.
So much for what the war Office
wanted United Press readers to be
Iieye. What the war office did no
give out through the agreeable cap
tain was gathered through a majo
who has been converted to pacifsm
He sought out friend high up in th'
war office and secured some frs
hand information. because he believ
ed publicity might lead to actor
which may prevent the rebirth o
militarism in Germany.
The friend in the war office remark
ed in answer to the majors query al
to Germany's strength, "Well, W.
could muster a million men along tn
Rhine in less than week. They''
have plenty of cannon and machine
guns and ammunition to hold out TO
a while. in pinch"
The "high up" said Germany ha
more than two hundred seventy fiv
thousand helmeted men under arms
in actual service now. OF these
seventy thousand are in Berlin sixt
thousand are in the Rhur district
guarding the industrial district, sup
posedly, and the remainder are scat
tered between the Polish front an
other cities in which disturbance
are expected.
Troops Scattered Over Country.
A noticeable feature is that the ma
jority of troops are not along the Dol
shevik front, but are scattered owe
the country. The government evi
IDENTIFY fears radicalism much NOR
from within than from without. Th
government is determined to crush a
opposition Practically all Of German
is in a state of siege. This state ha
never been lifted from Berlin. Ther
are thirty thousand reserve officer
in Berlin, all registered and With
call.
An additional source of troops
the SO called Citizens guard" civ
lians who are ready to report on cal
under government orders. The VIZ
office, said the war office man, know
where the machineguns, grenade
and other supplies are located.
Government troops are becomir
more and more loyal, due to the priv
ilege and the food they get. Viii
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