Evening star., 1920-03-29
GERMAN CIVILIANS
TO CONTROL ARMY
Plan Adopted to Guard
Against Future Monarch
ist Activities.
BY GEORGE WIT"rE.
By Cablegrnm to The Star and Chicago
Daily News, Copyright, 1920.

By Cablegrnm to The Star and Chicago
Daily News, Copyright, 1920.
FRANKFORT-ON-T E-MAIN, Ger
many. March IS (via Copenhagen,
Denmark. March 2D.-Complete reor-
ganization of the reichswehr. the sift-
ing out of officers with monarchistic
leanings and control over the army
by civilian commissioners are some
of the results of the kapp coup d'etat
that will be put into effect by the
government to prevent the repetition
of such a crisis as that OF March 13.
This was told to me today by DR..
Hugo Sinzheimer, majority socialist
member of the national assembly from
this city, who took part in the execu-
factions in Berlin this week and
helped to draft a measure aimed at
killing off such militaristic traditions
in the German army as have survived
the war and the revolution.
Give Civilians Power.
by including in the commanding
staff of each regiment" said DIR. Sinz-
heimer, "a civilian who has the full
power of a commanding officer and
authority to demand the resignation
of any officer suspected of plotting
against the government or of doing
propaganda work in favor of the mon
archiSts the government will always
keep in touch with the sentiments
among the men and nip in the bud
any surprise party. such as that
which was carried out by DR.. Kapp
and Maj. Gen. Won LuettwitZ. This
measure will become a part of our
constitution at an early date and will
help to infuse the spirit of democ-
racy into the ranks of the army.
rnf r( h q "a
still glimmering."
In discussing the republics" set up
in various parts of Germany by coun-
ellis of workingmen DR.. Sinzheimer
declared that he did not believe that
the underlying idea of these repub-
lies was bo1SheviSm.
Scouts BOlshevist Intent.
that the so-called red army in the
Ruhr district is composed of sensible,
law abiding workingmen who desire
10 see neither a monarchistic nor a
bolshevistic government In power. In
taking UP arms and continuing the
general strike, even after the fall OF
the Kapp regime. these men are mere
ly trying to demonstrate their oppo-
sition to government that tolerated
monarchistic propaganda. so until a
government has been formed that
meets with the approval of the eX-
be quiet.
DR. SinZheimer expressed the opinion
that Otto Gessler. formerly minister OF
reconstruction would. if made min
ister of defense in succession to Gus
tay Noske, prove competent for the
position.
"Gessler," said DIR. Sinzheimer, has
been favored for minister of defense
because everybody acquainted with
him knows that he is very energetic
and full of ambition. At the same time
he is always courteous and willing to
change his mind at any time SO long
as the argument for doing so is logi-
cal.
That is one of the qualities Noske
lacked completely. l have known
Gessler ten years, and I am convinced
that he will make good. If there are
riots mutinies and revolutionary out
| breaks he will turn the machine guns
| on the offenders just as quickly as
] Noske did, if not trifle more quickly.
Believes Government Will Punish.
DIR. Sinzheimer also declared that he
WAS sure the government would punish
those responsible for last week S
| events.
met Otto Gessler four weeks ago
| and had talk with him lasting more
| than an hour My impression was that
| he was very good natured, well bred
and exceedingly broad in his views of
internal as we'll as external affairs. He
came originally from Nuremberg, and
was brought up in southern Germany.
| the dialect of which he speaks. He
spent some time in France, and speaks
French well. Whether he would be
disposed to be as ruthless as Noske is
matter of doubt in my mind.