The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-03-19
NEW REGIME To
MODIFY TREATY
Declares That Latest Berlin
Coup Is Not Reactlonary.
KAPP ISSUES PROCLAMATION
Takes Over Government to Give People
Efficient Administration, He De-
cIares-Troop Commander Says
Move Is Not Monarchistic.

Berlin. March 15.-ChancellOr Kapp
IF the new Berlin government and
Major General Won Luettwitz have IS
sued the following proclamation:
"The overthrow of the government
must not be taken as reactiOnary. On
the contrary, it is a progressive meas
ure Of patriotic Germans of all par
ties, with a view to re-establlshing
law, order, discipline and honest gov
eminent in Germany. 1t is an overdue
attempt to lay the foundations for the
economic resuscitatiOn of Germany,
enabling her to fulfill those condi-
tons of the peace treaty which are
reasonable and not self-destructive.
Asks Help Of Workers.
Inspired by zeal and desire for
the benefit of all the German people.
the new government invites heartily
the acceptance and cooperation of the
Independents for the creation and
elaboration Of laws for the betterment
OF the working classes"
The manifesto charges the socialist
government with Overburdening the
people with taxation. failing to create
conditions for an increase of produc-
ton in all lines, suppressing newspa-
pers which criticize it, and otherwise
interfering with personal liberty, and
refusing to dissolve the national as
semhly and issue writs for new cleo
tions.
Erzberger as Scapegoat.
last, but not least" says the mani
festo, 50 government whose chief
spokesman is Erzberger must be
swept away"
It further declares that a change Of
government is purely an internal af-
fair and a German question, which
alone concerns the German people It
promises to use every effort to main
tain internal and external peace and
prevent a recurrence of the mistakes
OF "a government now happily de-
funct and obsolete"
The manifesto continues: "We
readily recognize that it is of vital
interest to foreign countries not to
have a government in Germany which
III any way COulu VI might ChNAUAS~A
the peace of Europe"
Gen. Won LuettwitZ previously had
issued the following order, in which he
assumed military control:
st am personally taking over the
executive power for Berlin and the
mark of Brandenburg. All DEGREES Is
sued by Defense Minister Herr Noske
fH1n of
ary Is will remain in ftrce."
Rebel Chief Tells Purpose.
The following explanation cams
from one of the commanders of the
troops:
''we knew that this was coming for
q long time The reichswehr and the
nnilitarized police. the one numbering
5000 and the other 5000, had fully
agreed to act as a unit if the new gov
eminent was proclaimed. They now
are working in complete harmony to
control the situation and, if necessary,
they can Immediately enroll thousands
OF volunteers and citizens to maintain
order.
eve do not expect trouble. for this Is
not a monarchistic revolution. but the
Deremptory action of the nation to
place its affairs in the hands of men
qualified to handle them. Therefore.
antimonarchistic radicals are not OPP
posing. but are supporting the change.
Not Time for Monarchy.
'oThis is not a monarchistic coup,
because while we believe the best form
Of government is constitutional gov
ernment with king in name only. we
realize this is not the time to establish
IT, The time may not arrive for ten
or fifteen years But this movement
is not monarchistic. Won Luettwitz
and the other men now in Charge are
not monarchists..
''The full truth is that they know
the Ebert government is absolutely In
competent and with the elections post
Doned indefinitely the only way to put
an efficient government in charge was
to use force. No more than necessary
I'LL I'M nSad