New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-27
1rzberger, Foe
OfPan-Teutons.
Assassinated
German Ex-Vice-Chancellor
Is Shot Dead by 2 Youths
While on Walking Tour;
II Bullet Wounds in Body
Comrade Wounded Also
Slayers Escape; Theft Not
Motive; Victim Center of
Political Storm in War

atcd Press Matthias Erzberger, for
mer Chancellor and Minister of
Finance, was assassnated to-day while
walking through the Black Forest near
Offenburg, Baden. Twelve bullet
wounds we're found on his body.
The assailants of Herr Erzberger,
two youths who accosted the politician
while he was walking with the Reichs-
tag Deputy Diez, have not been found.
Just what was the motive is not known,
but it has been definitely ascertained it
was not robbery
Pan-Germans Opposed Him
Erzberger. for a long time one of
Germany's most powerful politicians,
had for some time been the object of a
violent campaign, sponsored by pan
German circles, which accused him of
being the author OF the policy Of the
present Chancellor.
Herr Erzberger had left Bad Cries
bach, where he was taking the cure. in
company with Deputy Diez for a foot
tour Of the Black Forest. An hour
later both men were confronted by the
two youths, who separated them and
who was killed instantly by bullet
wounds in the head. Diez also was
wounded
a judicial commi ssion, accompanied
by police dogs, proceeded to the spot
on receipt of news of the attack, which
occurred between 8 and 10 o'clock this
morning.
Tailor-s Son Who Rose to Power
Matthias Erzberger was born Sep
TENDER 20, 1875, the son of a tailor. was
educated at Freiburg, Switzerland. at
the expense of wealthy friend, and
became schoolmaste He wrote sew
eral works on political economy and
entered politics rs an advocate of the
Christian Labor Union movement. being
delegate to the International Labor
Congress of 1897 at Zurich He was
elected to the Reichstag in 1903 from
constituency composed largely Of
small farmers who were Catholics. He
at once renowned his labor union doc
trlnes and became d Conservative men,
Der of the Centrum or Catholic, party.
Having gift Of fluent speech, he soon
made his way to leadership and event.
ually outranked Dr.. SPAIN, who had
been the head of the Centrum.
at the beginning of the war he was
chosen chief German propagandist, and
was intrusted with the sum of 2S,0OO,-
600 marks with which to corrupt the
press not only of Germany but also Of
all other lands to which he could gain
access. Much of the pro- German prop
uganda in some American newspapers
originated with him, and he was the
patron Of Bolo Pasha and other in
triguers in France and other countries.
In this work he was not conspicuously
successful, because, as the "Berliner
Neueste Nachrichtcn" said, "he affli-
ated himself only with those papers
whose corrupt bility was no secre-.'
Failing to tempt neutral countries into
entering the war on Germany's SIDE he
then reversed himself and started prop
uganda against war. He was the head
of the German peace intrigues of 1917,
and when President Wilson put forward
his scheme Of q league Of nations
Erzberger became it's champion and
wrote a book in its favor.
Champion of Frightfulness
During the war he was conspicuous
for his advocacy of "frightfulness,"
coupling that policy with lncessant in
vocations of the Deity. He exulted in
the use of poison gas and flame throw
ing devices, and went into raptures
whenever news came of the killing Of
women and children by the dropping Of
bombs upon unfortified towns. "Thc
greatest ruthlessness is the greatest
humanity" he said. at would be bet
than to let a single German soldier
perish on the battlefield. For every
German ship taken by England an Eng
fish town or village should be de-
stroyed by our airmen."
Meantime he was intriguing against
his colleagues, and it was largely
through his underground work that
Chancellor Won Bethmann-H ollweg was
forced out Of Office. His egotism was
considered unreasonable. LET me sit
with Lloyd George and the others at
table" he said, "and in half an hour we
Will have an immediate peace" H.
ment of the armistice, being then a
minister without portfolio in the Ger
man Cabinet, and he was member of
the armistice comm ission which nego-
tiated with Marshal Foch. When the
Treaty of Versailles was completed he
favored the signing of it by Germany
When the Bauer Cabinet was forme 4
in 1919 he was made Minister of
Finance and Vice-Premier.
ErZDerIerS aLLlLuQe throughout the
armistice negotiations aroused against
him the Indignation of German military
authorities. and in June, 1919, it was
reported that his residence had been
fred upon by Berlin mob. A plot,
said to have been formed by members
of the officers corps at Potsdam, to as
sassinate him was revealed in Septem-
Der following.
His Peace Plan Opposed
He reused storm in Germany in
July, 1917, more than year before the
armistice, by proposing q resolution in
the German Reichstag in favor of
peace without annexations and for
parliamentary reform. Chancellor Won
Bethmann-Ho llweg declared this for
mula was unacceptable, and DR.. Karl
Heltferich, former ce-Chancellor,
subsequently blamed Erzberger's peace
proposal for the moral collapse of the
German people. The former Vice
Chancellor accused Erzberger of high
treason, denounced him as menace
to the purity of our public life" and
invited him to bring suit for libel. He
declared that Erzberger must be re-
moved from public Office "if our po-
litical life is again to became healthy
and normal" He asserted also that
Erbergers fortune had been made dur
ing the war by utilizing his political
and parliamentary position.
Erzberger accepted this challenge
and began libel suit against Helf-
fcrich, which opened in court on JAN
uary 20, 1920. Dr. Helfferich resolutely
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