The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-03-13
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(Gentipyed from page onel
wild scenes IN Berlin where the psu-
pie shouted Long Live the Repub-
lielp and sang the Marseillaise.
The new government win be q 'goy-
eFnmept OF the people, Chancellor
Ebert said. 1T. must make every eff
fort to secure in the quickest possible
time peace for the German-peopie ana
consolidate the liberty they have won,
The new government has taken charge
of the administration to preserve the
German people from civil war and
famine and to accomplish their legit-
innate claims to autonomy"
The Independent Socialists, includ-
ing a radical element favorable to
Boisheyism and known as Spartaeides
complicated Ebert's prohlems When
he became Chancellor many bf thess
radicals including Karl Mebimeeht
and Rosa Luxembourg, were freed from
prison and the two mentioned were
subsequently, ,assaasinated.
The National Assembly which elect
ed Ebert was formed for the purpose
OF adopting q Constitution. Its docu-
ment which was approved last August
3 provided that .the executive power
lies with the people, The poWer OF
the upper chamber OF the Relehstag
was limited similar to the British
House OF Lords, There were special
protection for labor and generally
accented rules OF International law
were incorporated in the new instFil-
.ment. Ebert took the oath of office
a., A., ot,st 90 ana txuN dauc 1atau kha
National Assembly ceased to exist. It
being superseded by the new Reiehs-
tag. v
Philip seheidmann was the first
Premier Of Germany under Ebert.
Gustaye Noske, formerly Minister iof
Disqualification and before that Cover
nor Of Kiel, was named the first min
lister OF army and navy. By reason Of
his drastic enforcement of new rega-
lations he became known as "dieta-
tori
Other members of the first Ebert
cabinet fellows:
Minister Of Interior, Herr Preus;
Minister of Justice Herr Sendsbergi
Minister OF Commerce, Herr Muller;
Minister OF Labor, Herr Bauer; Min
lister Of Foreign Affairs, Count, Won
Brockdorff- Rantzau, former German
Minister to Denmark; under Foreign
Minister, Won Richthofen; Minister Of
Finance, Herr Schiller; Minister Of
Postal and Telegraphs, HSS Gels
berg; Ministers without Portfolio, DE-
Matthias Erzberger; Armistice Com
missioner, former State Secretary and
leader Of the Centrist party; Eduard
David, president OF the National As-
sembly and Herr Wissel.
The Ebert government underwear,
many changes by reason OF pelitieall
economic and popular demands.
The first real crisis TO threaten the
Ebert regime, however, arose over the
question OF accepting the peace treaty
terms. Ebert, Scheidemann and other
leaders were opposed to yielding to
the Entente demands. Scheidemann
resigned aud pro treaty cabinet M
Guiding Or. August Mueller and ex-
labor SECRETARY Bauer, former socialist
member of tha Reichstag, was organ
lied. Bauer in a speech at WeimeI
before the National Askembly de-
nounced the treaty in strong terms
but announced the governments de.
cisiom to sign.
For weeks before the revolution
broke out in Berlin there was steady
run on German banks. Ebert, then
Chancellor, had . conference in Ber-
lin on November IS, 1918 with 10 del-
egates from various parts Of Germany
said: Everything was in ruin when
We toolc charge. Now, however, a
socialistic republic has replaced the
monarchy and power has been put
in the hands of the workmen and
soldiers" The first aim to be
achieved, he said, was peace and the
security Of an economic basis. LIB
t5erty, he maintained, was worthless
without food, and employment and II
was as q result of this conference that
the National Assembly met last, spring
to devise constitutional form Of gov
eminent.
Meanwhile the provisional govern
ment had been In an almost constant
state Of hux. conditions in many parts
OF Germany were reported desperate
and there were many rumors that so
Wet government would supercede the
Ebert regime X
President Ebert had the backing o.
the Modefates Of Germany almost
from the beginning. One reason fol
this was that when he succeeded
Prince Macmillan he announced thaI
property. rights would be respected
that no banks would be seized and
that the government would uphold thl
German war losses and pay all claims
on the state. )
The President in a New Year mani.
Ifesto. said that. 1920 would decide
whether Germany would maintain her.
self as a nation. "A week later he was
Threatened by a mob in Stuttgart. or
the preceding December, 10 the Eh,
ent, cabinets fall was reported as like,
lily as result of the Allied demands
over the scapa Flow sinkings.