The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-03-13

/ London, Mafch IA proclamation
was issued this morning in Berlin
stated that the German government
headed by President Ebert had ceased
to exist, according to a Reuters dis
patch.
The proclamation declares that the
government has ceased to exist and
that the power of state has passed in.
to the hands of General Director Won
Kapp who will become chancellor and
who has appointed General Won Lieut.
twi'z commander in chief of the mill
tary forces.
Dispatches from Berlin received in
Paris state the proclamation declares
the national assembly to be disso wed
and also announces that a new gov
ernment is being formed. The soc al
ist party has declared a general
strike, the dispatches add.
The issuance of the proclamation
followed the occupation Of the WI
helmstrasse where the government
buildings are situated by troops who
had returned from the Baltic and had
been in barracks at Doebertz a sub
urb of Berlin. The troops entered the
city tbs morning, il is stated.
The names associated with the new
Revolutionary movement indicate its
reactionary character. II would ap-
pear that Germany is in the throes OF
the long expected and frequently pre-
N
iarchist struggle.
Won Knapp is one of the depu''
who early in 1918 urged the govern
ment to speed up the U-boat program
and became president of the German
Fatherland party which urged Ger
many to carry on the war to the bitter
end
Luettwitz was military governor of
Belgium in the early days of the war
and later commander on the Verdun
front. He has an American wife who
was formerly Miss Gary of Cleveland
Friedrich Ebert formerly head of
the main committee of the Reichstag
and leader of the Social Democratic
Party was elected first President -
the new German progressive re-
public" for a term of seven years on
February IL, 1919, by the National
Assembly at Weimar He has been
characterized as a type OF Pan-Ger-
man or imperialistic Socialist.
1t was the Ebert government which
arose from the ruins of the Hohenzol-
lern dynasty and which enabled the
Entente Allies TO conclude peace with
Germany.
On November 10. 1918, when former
Emperor William abdicated and fled,
Ebert was the imperial chancellor,
having succeeded Prince Maximilian
of Baden who was instrumental in ne
gotiating the armistice. He at once
assumed command and succeeded in
quelling revolutionary outbreaks.
The red flag was hoisted over the
Brandenburg Gate and the royal pal
ace after wild scenes in Berlin where
the people shouted Long Live the
Republic!" and sang the Marseillaise.
"The new government will be gov
ernment of the people," Chancellor
Ebert said 1T must make every eff
time peace for the German people
and consolidate the liberty they have
won. The new government has taken
charge of the administration to pre-
serve the German people from civil
war and famine and to accomplish
their legitimate claims to autonomy"
The Independent Socialists, includ
ing radical element favorable to
Bolshevism and know as Spartacides
complicated Eberts problem. When
he became Chancellor many of these
radicals includingg Karl Liebknecht
and Rosa Luxembourg, were freed
from prison and the two mentioned
were subsequently assassinated.
The national assembly which elect
ed Ebert was formed for the purpose
OF adopting a constitution. Its docu-
ment which was approved last August
2 provided that "the executive power
lies with the people" The power of
the upper chamber of the Reichstag
was limited similar to the British
House of Lords. There were special
protection for labor and generally
accepted rules of international law"
were incorporated in the new instru
ment Ebert took the oath of office
on August % and two days later the
National Assembly ceased exist, it
being superseded by the new Reich
stag
Phillip Scheidemann was the first
Premier of Germany under Ebert
GustaYe Noske, formerly Minister Of