Evening star., 1920-03-14
TwoGovernments Hold
Forth; Ebert Calls
General Strike.
TROOPS AND GUNS
DOMINATE BERLIN
Hindenburg Favored for Pres''
dency-Alhed Missions Safe.
Events Dramatic.
~ .hs Assncinfed Press.

Ry the Associated Press.
BERLIN. March 1S.-The govern
mcnt of Friedrich Ebert. the soclalis'
president of the German republic was
overthrown today by a military coup
dctat.
Dr. WoIsang Kapp. one OF the
founders of the fatherland party. ""u
general director of the aSrieui'u
societies, has ousted Gustav naue''
The chancellor, and. in taking that OF
fee himself. has temporarily assu'heu
supreme direction of affairs.
There are now two contending gov
ern,nents in Germany. the ne" ohe'
under Chancellor Kapp. at Berlin: the
old one, under President Ebert at
Dresden. officials of the new govern
ment declare that it is not reaction
ary or monarchist. The president OF
the old government and his ministers
have issued a proclamation. calling
upon the people to rise in a general
strike as the only means of prevent
ing the return of Wilhelm II.
Troops Occupying Berlin.
Berlin is occupied by the troops OF
the ciunter revolution-to what num-
her is not known-and the movement
is spreading rapidly throughout the
provinces. Masses of troops and ma
val brigades with artillery have been
brought into the capital and domi-
nate the situation. Thus far there
has been no outbreak and no blood
shed
TIE Ebert government had knowl-
edge beforehand of the pending coun-
ter revilution, but the precautions
taken proved to be entirely lnade-
quate. Outside of the security police
and the Noske troops on patrol. moth
ing indicated this morning that Ber-
lin would get up to find the Ebert
government turned out. The presi-
dent left Berlin with some of his fol-
lowers two hours after.
Admiral Won Trotha had been dis
patched to Doeberuz Friday night for
the purpose of comforting with the
troops and admonishing them to de-
sist from any violent procedure he
returned and informed the cabinet
that the agitation had subsided. but
that the danger was not wholly re-
moved.
Noske Army Not Loyal.
/. The realization was finally brought
home to the cabinet that the army
which Herr Noske was supposed to
control was far from being the loyal
organization he counted upon and
that the Berlin garrisons had also
been inoculated by the officers OF the
old school and were ready for the
rising when the call came. The
secrecy with which the revolution
was planned and carried out has stun
ned every one.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg is re-
ported to be favored by the new re-
Eime as imperial president. but thus
far he has remained in the back
ground. The former minister of for
eien affairs, Gottlieb Won Jagow. and
Cen. Baron Won Falkenhausen. former
governor general Of Belgium. are
among the leaders of the counter
revolution. While the movement has
been carried out rapidly and in ap-
parent order, there is an undercur-
rent of anxiety.
According to reports reaching here
this afternoon the revolutionary
movement under the direction of the
extreme conservatives has already
spread far into the provinces. not
only among the regular army forces.
but among the public security guards.
Kapp's Proclamation.
o1,v nm Ia
claring the national assembly dis
solved says that body lacks any moral
right longer to exist.
Its attempt to postpone the cleo
tions and thereby despotically prolone
its mandate" the proclamation con-
tinues, sis in contradiction to the will
of the people. The constitution which
has just been adopted is arbitrarily
treated by the assembly as a scrap OF
paper The majority of its members
would prefer to have the imperia
president elected. not by the whole
nation. but by the parliament"
Gen. Luettwitz's Decree.
Gen. Won Luettwitz has issued the
following order:
Il am personally TAKING over tHs
executive power for Berlin and thu
Mark Of Brandenburg. All decree!
issued by Defense Minister Her
Noske in accordance with the deere,
of January 13 will remain in force
The decree of January IS relative t.
the proclamation of martial law II
maintained and extended to thos'
parts of the imperial territory not ye
affected thereby. The state of sieg
hitherto existing in the free state o
Saxony is at the same time raised.
The troops under command of tn
former government arc charged witt
the execution of the requisite meas
ures.''
NOske Troops Dial0yaI.
The Doeberitz garrison, compose
chiefly of former Baltic troops, march
cd through the Brandenburg gat
early in the morning and found tn
Berlin security police guarding tn
government buildings. They mad
their peace with the police and the
took possession Of the buildingl
wherever detachments Of Noske'
troops were garrtsoned in Create
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