The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-26
GERMAN LABOR
MAKES THREATS
Failing to Capture WeseI,
They Promise to Destroy
All Factories There.
REDS ISSUING ORDERS
Government Troops in West
ern Germany Inactive,
Pending Orders.

| London, March 26.-(A. B.)-
Workers forces intrenched along the
Lippe river south and southeast of
the city OF Wesel, threaten, if they
fail to capture Wesel, to destroy all
factories and mines in western Ger
many, says a dispatch to the En-
change Telegraph company filed in
Berlin this morning. The reds have
established great headquarters sim
liar to that of the old German army
and are issuing official statements,
In last nights communique the
reds claimed to have captured sew
eral villages and to have taken more
than zoe prisoners during the day,
They say the government troops in
western Germany are not taking any
action, pending orders from Berlin.
kilograms from Muenster, filed last
night, report severe engagements be-
u tween government and communist
troops ON the line from Hamm south
to Hagen. Further south in the di-
rection of Cologne and Dusseldorf
there has been fighting and serious
conflicts have occurred at Wesel,
Rucllinghaus and near Muenster as
well as along the Lippe river
Treatment of men arrested on ac-
cusattions of completely in the revo-
lutionary movement by military au-
thorities at Halle has greatly excited
German workers, rendering the stu
alton more critical. it is reported.
Fight An Friday.
An A. L. dispatch from Buderich,
Rhenish Prussia, says that Ebert
government troops still held Wesel,
across the Rhine north of this city
at o'clock Friday afternoon. Fight
ing which had been in progress dur
ing the day was seemingly dying
away at that hour and although We
sci is under fire from artillery in the
hands of the workers army, the
troops had succeeded in repelling all
infantry attacks.
Today's battle opened during the
forenoon when government troops
attacked workers forces which had
advanced to within few hundred
yards of the Wesel bridgehead. Nov
ing rapidly to the onslaught the
regulars drove the reds south across
the Lippe river and southeast out of
Pippe Schlos. In the meantime gov
crnment artillery opened fire upon
the workers headquarters at Upper
dorf and partially destroyed them.
| Working southwark from Lippe Sch
loss and eastward from Lippcrdorf,
the regulars began a double flank at
tack which swept the reds back, they
being forced to retreat under heavy
artillery and machine gun fire. An
armored train pushed along toward
the bridge across the Lippe river
about three and ona half miles from
! Mesel, and ss-pt up o. steae Gre on
the workers.
z11I E,.1I (. la
artillery flew wild during this strug-
gle. One of them struck at the edge
of Fort Bluechcr on the Belgian bank
of the Rhine and then dicoceted
bursting harmlessly.
No confirmation has been received
of the report from Berlin that Karl
Radek, omissary of Lenine, has re-
turned to Germany, although it is
generally believed that Russian boil
shevism are assisting the German
reds in the Ruhr district. Radek was
expelled from Germany by the Ebert
government because of his bolshe-
vik activities among the workers and
went to Moscow. During his stay at
Berlin he was in constant negotia-
tion with the spartaCist chiefs and
when he departed he declared that
"he would soon return to assist In the
| fNldBilSIlitll VI a. ulCldlul sup ny
| the proletariat"
The reported truce between the
German government and the workers
| in the Ruhr district evidently proved
n scrap OF paper, for all reports agree
that fighting has continued with
great violence in that region.
An J. n. :. report from Berlin, says
that the reds are accused by the war
Office of breaking the armistice in
the Ruhr district by attacking gov
ernment forces.
Soldiers have arrested a number of
red courier who were carrying en-
Couraging reports from the Ruhr dis
trict to cities In other parts Of Ger
many.
1t is reported that trained Russian
| army officers. who were sent into
| Germany by Lenine, are helping di-
rect the operations of the spartacists
! in Prussia.
Violent fighting is reported from
the neighborhood of Munster, capital
of Westphalia. The communists in
! that district are threatening to de-
! stroy the factories If they arc de-
! feated by President Eberts troops.
Tho Freihcit. a communist news
| paper, accuses the government mill
| tary forces at Halle of precipitating
a reign of terror. According TO this
newspaper. after the capture OF the
| city by the government troops. work
| ing men were shot down or beaten.
Won't Abandon Struggle.
An A. J.. report from Amsterdam,
| SAYS the decision not to abandon the
| struggle in the Wesel district Of
| Germany was reached at "A meeting
| of labor representative council at
| Essen last night. The only condi-
! tion under which the workers will
| consent 10 peace is the withdrawal
! Of government forces from the
| Muenstcr military district, SAYS a
! dispatch received here.
| Until these forces retire. armed
! workers viii undertake TO maintain
! public order in the district.
lutionary workingmen, according
to the Frehet.
The marine brigade commanded boy
| Capt. Erhart whom he entered Berlin
] the day the Won kapp regime was pro-
| claimed has been ordered TO Lockatacd
! for drmohilizatiou.
The communist who demanded tho
| rehabilitation Of the reichswhcr and
! the creation Of "a military police force
! composed OF workmcu are protesting
/ bitterly that arWorod trains have been
at the disposal @ fthe roichswchr.
FORTRESS HOLDING
Berlin reports TO the Assoei.
ated Press that Wesel, the be-
sieged fortress northwest OF the
Ruhr coal basin, was still hold
ing out today against the revo-
he situation IN the Ruhr IN