The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-15
WOULD QUIT FIGHT
Spartacans and Government
Take Up Peace Talk.
Berlin Dispatches to Amster-
dam Tell of the Move.

Amsterdam, Jan. 15.-"Peace nego-
tiations'' have begun between the Spar
tacans and the German government,
according to Berlin dispatches received
here today.
The government and Spartacans
are said to have arranged an armistice
whereby neither faction would resume
fighting without twelve hours notice.
Weeks Nightmare Over.
Berlin Jan. 15.-Berlin's long week
of Bolshevism is finally ended. Here
and there scattered desperadoes, most
ly youths, still fire occasionally from
some housetop and during the nights
the followers of DR.. Karl Leibknecht
to revive the reign of terror.
They are insignificant however,
compared with what has passed.
"a few Spartacans tried to recap
ture the Charlottenburg police head
quarters the night after it was taken
by government troops"
DR.. Leibknecht's sister was arrested
and several hundred rebels are locked
up awaiting trial, which. inasmuch as
martial law is not proclaimed. must
be left to the regular courts.
Losses inflicted on each side during
the last week are as yet estimated
only roughly, but it is believed that
they will greatly exceed 200 dead and
/ 900 wounded. The overwhelming
majority of these are Bolshevists.
Government Forces Strong. =
The reinstatement and arning of
the police gives the government a new
force of trained men who know the
criminal world and whose absence
during the first days of the revolution
gave the disorderly element free
hand. Police records, including those
of the Bertillon system. were not de-
stroyed as was first reported. Detec-
al W o.
quaintances and the work of disarm
ing lawless elements is proceeding.
Property losses during the week of
terror amount to tens of millions of
marks: In addition to the damage to
newspaper plants and government
building merchants losses thru loot
ing are very high, one youth being
captured with 1000 marks worth of
Jewels which he had stolen. In some
streets near the police headquarters
nearly every store was systematically
looted.
Creased Guns With Butter.
Bolshevist troops holding the Sile-
sian station had SO much butter that
they used it to grease their guns and
boots
The center of the city has been quiet
all day today. Late this evening a
few shots were heard in different parts
of the town, being fired by snipers and
looters. Merchants having shops along
Cnter den Linden took down their
shutters and business went on general
ly as usual.
The government has no intention of
slackening it's efforts against the Spar
tacans, the Abend Zeitung says it
learns from best authority. Energetic
measures are being taken against the
leaders of the movement. 1t is re-
ported that documents found by loyal
troops show that the Spartacan upris-
ing was inspired from Moscow.
DR.. Karl Liebknecht, the Spartacan
leader, George Ledebour, head of the
revolutionary Independent Socialist
element and the immediate supporters
of these revolutionary chiefs, were so
certain their plans for the recent up
rising would succeed that they had
prepared a proclamation dated Janu-
airy 6 in which the rt-Scheidemann
government was declared deposed and
formal announcements made that the
government had been taken over by
the revolutionists.s
1t already was known that Doctor
Leibknecht and the then Police Chief
Eichorn, had told Lieutenant Fischer,
the city commandant on the day
named, that it had been decided to
overthrow the government and docu-
mentary evidence to this effect now is
adduced by the Vorwaerts. in the form
of proclamation referred to:
The proclamation was addressed to
Comrades, workmen" and read:
1.-THE government of Ebert and
Scheidemann has made itself impos-
sible. 1t is hereby declared deposed
by the undersigned revolutionary
committee and representa- tives of the
revolutionary workmen. and soldiers
independent social Democratic party
and Communistic Party.)
The undersigned revolutionary COM
mittee has temporarily taken over the
government affairs. Comrades and
Workmen, give your support to the
measures of the revolutionary COM
mittee.
Berlin, January 6. 1919.
(Sig.) The Revolutionary Committee"