New-York tribune., 1920-03-14
Retiring President Calls
for General Strike as
Only Barrier Against
Return of Wilhelm IT
New Headquarters
Fixed at Dresden
Berlin Quiet Under Con-
troll of Soldiers; Busi-
ness Proceeds as Usual

BERLIN, March 13.--The govern
ment OF Friedrich Ebert, the Social
lst President of the German Repub-
TIC, was overthrown to-day by mill
tary coup d'etat.
DR.. Wol1gang Kapp, one of the
founders of the Fatherland party
and general director of the agri-
cultural societies, has ousted Gustav
Bauer, the Chancellor, and in taking
that office himself has temporarily
assumed supreme direction of af-
fairs. General Baron Won Luett-
WITT has been appointed commander
IN chief of the army, and the Nation
al Assembly has been dissolved.
There are now two contending
governments in Germany-the new
one under Chancellor Kapp, at Ber-
lin, and the old one under President
Ebert, at Dresden. Officials of the
new government declare that it is
not reactionary or monarchist. The
President of the old government and
his ministers have issued a proc
lamation calling upon the people to
rise in a general strike as the only
roe"rs Of preventing the return OF
Wilhelm II.
Troops Dominate Berlin
Berlin is occupied by the troops OF
the counter revolution--to what
number is not known - and the
movement is spreading rapidly
throughout the provinces. Masses
of troops and naval brigades with
artillery have been brought into the
capital and dominate the situation.
Thus far there has been no outbreak
and no bloodshed.
The Ebert government had knowl-
edge beforehand of the pending
counter revolution, but the precau-
tlons taken proved to be entirely in
adequate. Outside of the security
police and the Noske troops on pa
troll nothing indicated at 3 o'clock
this morning that Berlin would wake
up to find the Ebert government
turned out. The President himself
left Berlin with some of his follow
ers two hours after that time.
Admiral Won Trotha had been dis
patched to Doeberitz on Friday night
to confer with the tro6ps and ad-
monish them to desist from any vio-
lent procedure. He returned and
Informed the Cabinet that the agita-
tion had subsidized, but the danger
was not wholly removed.
Army Fails Noske
The realization was tinallv
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 also had been innoculated
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 car
rled out has stunned every one.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg is
reported to be favored by the new
regime as Imperial President" but
thus far he has remained in the
background. The former Minister
Of Foreign affairs, Gottlieb Won
Jagow, and General Baron Won
Falkenburg, former Governor Gen
eral of Belgium, are among the lead
ers Of the counter revolution.
While the movement has been car
ried out rapidly and in apparent or
der, there is an undercurrent of
among the people of Berlin
as to possible future occurrences
Counter measures are expected soon,
although the Kapp government has
taken precaution to place those mem
bers of the former government who
could be reached under arrest.
Wilhelmstrasse Fortified
The entrance into Wilhelmstrasse
from Under den Linden is blocked |
by barbed wire and further pro-
tected with field guns and machine
guns. Numerous troops, with their
lorries and field kitchens, are sta
toned outside the British Embassy, !
close to the corner. Their flag, Ger
former naval colors, is lean
ing against the embassy window,
There has been no attempt to