The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1920-04-01
SOVIET CHAOS IN
RHINE DISTRICT
German Workers Free All Political
Prisoners and DiSarm the
Bourgeoise Troops.
$4,000 REDS ATTACK WESEL.
Essen Industrial Region Seized by Re-
voting Workmen-eoo Loyalists
Taken-OutIaw Forces Cap
ture Towns.

Rotterdam.-The conditions i'm the
Rhine provinces, where virtually
every town is in the hands of the
workmen. rapidly are approaching a
duplication of the conditions prevail
ing in Soviet Russia.
According to correspondents in Es-
sen and Dortmund the first step fol-
lowing the proclamation of Soviet re-
publics was the opening of prisons
, and freeing not only political prison
ers. but also common prisoners. Com
ing closely upon the heels of this or
der was an invitation to the bourgeose
TO surrender all firearms. EN-
phasis was laid on this by announce
ment that failure to comply would
entail prosecution by the revolution
ary tribunal.
The correspondents say the hardest
task Of a Soviet Government would
be to maintain rationing, that failure
In thls respect would not be improb-
able, owing to the existing scarcity
OF foodstuffs and that compromise
with Berlin would be necessary. They
assert that only enough food is in
sight for weeks rations and that
the supply of potatoes will last only
a few days. The hope of the Soviet
government, they asert, is to get food
from Holland in exchange for coal
The Soviet councils have taken the
sharpest measures against looting, say
the correspondents, but they are requi-
sitioning provisions and other COM
mOdities without pay.
Most of the other newspapers and
dispatch from the Wolff Bureau, the
semi-official German news agency. de-
clare that the Soviet towns are abso-
iutely under Soviet censors. The sale
of alcoholic drinks is prohibited and
nobody is allowed on the street be-
tween ten o'clock in the evening and
five o'clock in the morning.
These dispatches also say the
Socialists have lost all influence. They
are outnumbered by the Communists
and Independents and seem to be CO.
operating with the Bolsheviki, willing
to accept a dictatorship of the pro-
letariat
Essen, Germany.-The local execu-
tive council announced that the entire
Industrial region hereabouts is in the
hands of the revolutionary workmen
and that n red army of $4,000 men
is VIGOROUSLY advancing on Wesel,
where "the last remnants of the regu-
lar troops" are concentrated
The Ruhr Echo announces that the
LETT wing of the red armys front
stretches from Dinslaken, twenty-four
miles from Dusseldorf, through Hol-
ten, to Dorsten, thirty-five miles south
west of Muenster. Violent fighting is
still proceeding on this front. Dor
sten and Valsum have been taken by
the reds, with 900 prisoners, the news
paper adds, and a general advance is
in progress towards Wesel.
In the vicinity Of Haltern an armor-
ed train on the way to the Industrial
region from Muenster was halted by
the blowing up of stretch Of road
bed
The general military situation, 1t is
declared. Is favorable to the revolu-
tionaries.
Coburg.-A heavy defeat has been
inflicted on the Communist forces,
who lost more than 1000 killed, ac-
cording to the Reichswehr commander
in this region.
London, March 23-The Bauer gov
ernment has come to terms with the
Extremists at the cost Of sweeping
concessions, according to a Copen-
hagen dispatch to the Times. A pure
ly Socialist cabinet is to be formed,
which viii try to re-establish order
and hold general elections.
The Reichswehr troops will be i'm
mcdiatcly Withdrawn and Berlin
workmens guards formed The gcner-
al strike will be. stopped, but instantly
resumed Il the government Is unable
10 eifectuate the stiplated conditions.