The Washington herald., 1920-03-15
Capital Lacks
Official Neu,s
From Germany
State Department Receives
Little Information of
Later Developments.
EBERT IN DRESDEN
Only Statement Issued Con-
firms Previous Press
Dispatches
EBERT IN DRESDEN


partment. 1t issued one short
announcement reading as follows:
Department of State official
advices received today Sunday
regarding the revolution at Berlin
are confirmatory Of the press re-
ports of the arrival of Friedrich
Ebert at Dresden, along with
some OF those who were affiliated
with him in the government of
Germany"
Interest in Mayence.
The immediate concern to the
White House and War Department
officials is the object of the meet
ing called for today by Marshal
Foch. 1t will be held in Mayence.
and will be presided over by the al
lied generalissimo and attended by
Sir Henry Wilson, the chief of staff
of the British army. and Mai. Gen.
Henry 7. Allen. Before any decisive
action could be taken outside of the
American zone of occupation, Gen.
Allen would have to communicate
with the War Department.
May Send Reinforcements.
The purpose of the conference is
understood by the general staff to
be a decision on the part of both
the French and British to send
heavy reinforcements TO the limit
of the Rhine bridgeheads, which
they control. Gen. Allen, at Co.
blcnz. the center Of his zone. of
loccupa don, has r~10. 900 men under
his command. but at Mayence there
are 5000 soldiers in reserve under
the command of Brig. Gen. Sage.
The latter troops were sent to, Eu-
rope to take part in maintaining or
der during the Silesian plebiscite.
| These troops may be moved into
the city of Coblenz. so as to permit
an equal number to advance to the
limit of the American zone of oc-
cupation, in accordance with the
reported plans of Gen. Foch.
President Sole Arbitcr.
This action would simply be a
precautionary move to insure order
in the regions under the jurisdic-
tion of the allied armies, and also
expectations are realized. to strike
into the interior of Germany. In
this connection. however. the Amer
lean troops must be considered apart
from those of the British and French
The President would be the sole
arbitcr so far as the activities of
the American soldiers are concerned.
He is. under the terms of the ar
/ mistice. able not only to order the
American troops into Germany, but
to send reinforcements as well. un-
less restrained by Congress.
One OF the cardinal duties Of all
three armies of occupation is to pre-
serve order in the zones they con-
troll. and this preservation of order
would hold good with either the
forces of the Won Kapp government
or those of the fallen Ebert regime.
Even il bloody civil war broke
out in Germany. the allies would
be under no obligation to intervene
so long as the fighting was con-
fined to the boundaries of Germany.
and the boundaries established by
the allies were not violated.
Princes Appearance Contradictory.
officials here question the report
from Europe that Prince ENel
Friedrich is the 'fair-haired" son
of the revolutionists. If this were
the case they declare it would be
suicidal for Germany and totally at
variance with the policy which Won
Kapp has proclaimed to the world.
German happenings of the next
few weeks will alone determine the
eventual policy toward Germany by
the allies and the United States. II
the Won Kapp goverpment has ele-
ments of strength which make its
existence appear certain, and If it
adopts conciliatory attitude with
regard to the allies, it probably will
soon be recognized as the de facto
government of Germany, and will
be bound by the treaty of Versailles.
Senators Make Prediction.
While the general opinion was
that the revolution would not affect
the treaty situation here, there
were a number of Senators who said
that once the present treaty is de-
feated it will be necessary to make
separate pact with Germany. But.
IL this plan were adopted the Sem
ate would again run afoul the Pres
ident. as he could pigeon hole a new
treaty in the same manner as he is
expected to dispose of this one.
Congress might escape further diff
ficulties by passing a resolution de-
claring the war with Germany at
an end.
E,xa noctrove T,n MIL.