Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1920-07-02

10 send troops lHlouSA Ni''i'
executive committee had promised sew
eral days before this that 1t would set
tie the Yogtland troubles by peaceaDle
means and Minister Gradnauer was
stm promising mild treatment for
| Hoelz and his gang.
This attitude of organized labor at
Chemnitz correspondent to the attitude
of the more extreme socialists else
where. The independent socialists
! either excused or openly encouraged
lUoelz. Their leading organ at ORES
den declared that the workmen Woulu
resist an armed intervention by every
possible means, and "the responsibility
would fall with full weight upon Tue
government" And the Freihelt tle
national organ Of that party saw noJll-
ing worse in Hoelz's dolngs than a
breach of party discipline. He was
acting contrary to the interests Of
the revolutionary proletariat" PRO
letarian campaigns" this organ CON
linued, "require closed ranks at the
battle front, obedience to general or
ders and all dancing out of ones turn
means weakening and hurting the rev
dictionary struggle"
Decide to Fight Bandit,
Finally about three weeks after
Hoelz had been in possession at FaI-
ienstein, Gradnauer decided with ex-
IRENE reluctance, that he would have
to ask the Berlin government to send
the Reichswehr against the maraud-
er. His hopes that the workmen II
the VOgtland would come and say
"The thing can't be done without the
Reichswehr," had not been realized
An attempt was made by Plauen work
men, indeed, to shake Holz, but with
out success at first. The action COM
mlttee there called four big meetings ;
at which 4 resolution against him was
to be proposed; but Hoelz himself
boldly appeared at the meetings, and
by means Of his usual fiery harangues
defeated the resolutions.
As the troops began to move, how
ever the laboring people began to as
/ sert themselves. At Chemnitz, the
decision Of the shop councils to call
a general strike in support Of Hoelz,
was nullided by a large majority on a
general vote of the entire laboring
population; and about the same time,
a conference Of the communists at
Chemnitz voted to eXpel him from
their party On the other hand, about
the time when the troops were drawing
their net around Vogtland a CON
ference Of socialists at Gera, attended
by delegates from many Thurlngiar
towns, voted unanimously to demand
that the troops be recalled, otherwise
to declare a general strike for all Ger
many.
Hoped to Make Escape.
But the troops gradually gathered
around the Vogtland, coming in with
many apologies and explanations on
the part of the Dresden government
and the general. Airplanes were
sent in advance to scatter handbllls
designed gently to soothe the fears
of the workmen, Moreover, a civil
commissioner was sent along with the
troops to restrain their thirst to kill
on sight Hoelz and his band
Hoelz scented the danger from afar,
but he made good use Of the few days
Of grace still left him. He did not
remotely dream of making a stand
against the troops. When they were
stlll several days march from Faken-
stein he shifted his headquarters over
to the little town of Kingenthal, which
lies Immediately on the Bohemian
frontier
On the last day Of his stay at
Klingenthal he made hay in two ways.
He sent a detachment of his forces
once more into Plauen to raise money
by going into the leading restaurants
and emptying the pockets not only Of
guests but even Of walters, Then at
Klingenthal he summoned fifteen Of
the leading manufacturers to a con
ference at the town hall demanded Of
them 100000 marks before nightfau,
and locked them up as hostages till it
should be produced Later he decided
to let them 20 out and make their
arrangements to obtain the money. At
the appointed hour they returned and
counted out the money for him on
the big center table.
Burns Mansions Before Quitting.
Before quitting Falkenstein Hoelz
had set fire to the mansions Of five
leading manufacturers, after he had
been mulctlng them for several weeks
to meet the expenses of his army"
He also ordered the detachment that
went TO Plauen to rob the restaurants,
that they also burn several fine villas
there, but this was apparently not
done; the valiant band contentlng
themselves instead with pillagng sew
eral homes.
As the troops closed In on the scene
of war they began to make captures Of
Hoelz's Red guards, all stuffed with
stolen money. There was a sort Of
skirmIsh somewhere, in which Hoelz
was engaged until things grew too hot
FOR him. The official report records
the fact that his automobile was cap
tured, containing his hat; but that
Hoelz himself escaped, "ostenslbly In
woman's clothing"
He succeeded in some way in get