Evening star., 1922-06-25
W|RTH DONS ARM0R
TO BATTLE ]UNKERS
AND SAVE REPUBLIC
impending Disaster Fore
cast by Assassination
of DR.. Rathenau.
PRUSSIA TO PROCLAIM
STATE OF EMERGENCY
News of Murder Provokes Wild
Scenes in Reichstag-Radicals
Threaten Helfferich.
By the Associated Press.


Wirth's government tonight is mar
-haling the nations liberal elements
TO the defense of the young German
republic. and organized labor, repre-
Sented in both socialist parties. is
again first to buckle on the armor,
Just as it did during the Kapp revolt
Announcement is made that the
..overnment will establish extraordi-
nary courts for the trial of national
st plotters and that state of emer-
-sency for Prussia will be proclaimed
Follows Rathenau's Murder.
All this follows the assassination
nf DIR. Walter Rathenau. German for
eign minister and more closely iden
titled than any other German with the
efforts at the rehabilitation of his
country since the war, who was killed
by two or more unknown aSsasslns
while on his way from his residence
Yesterday morning to the foreign office.
The minister was subjected to veri-
table hail of bullets. one of them
striking him in the throat and pass
ing upward to the brain, while others
struck him in various parts Of the
body. Hand grenades also were
thrown, almost wrecking the car in
which DR.. Rathenau was riding. and
inficting further injuries on the min
lister.
Reunions to Be Prohibited.
All regimental reunions and mill
saristic demonstrations are to be pro-
hibited. Yet, despite vociferous cries
of Long live the republic"' which re-
sounded through the reichstag cham
Der at the close Of a memorial session
to Rathenau today, thoughtful men OF
all ranks and parties were silently
but sravely apprehensive for the ma
tion's fate.
While the heat Of resentment and
partisan feeling has not yet sum-
eiently cooled to warrant a sure ap-
praisal of the direction in which the
political effect of Walter Rathenau's
assa ssination will spread, yet this
much is certain-the government IS
facing a far more precarious s1tua-
ton than it did when nationalist
bullets struck down Erzberger in the
Black forest ten months ago.
uproar In Reichstag.
The emotion which marked the
brief addresses of Chancellor Wirth
and President Loebe before the
reichstag today reflected sentiments
which were shared by many others,
while the rioting of the radicals
RI hPan a
decorous memorial to the dead for
eiRn minister reflected the feeling OF
unrelenting vengeance vowed in be-
half of the German proletariat.
Never did the reichstag witness
such scenes of turbulence and exc
crations. DR.. Karl Helfferfch, the
nationalist leader who had attacked
Dr. Rathenau in a savage speech in
he Reichstag yesterday. sat curled
rrp in his seat far to the right Of the
house. He appeared to be in a very
depressed and somewhat fearful state.
President Loebe had difficulty in
getting the session under way, as the
radicals swarmed over to the right.
threatening Helfferich and other ma
tionalists, who volunteered to come
10 his rescue.
,wirth Gives Up Task.
Chancellor wirth, who stepped
down from the government bench in
an attempt to pacify the bel1icose
deputies, had to give up the task, and
the presidents insistent bell also
failed to restore order. The uproar
was primarily aimed at Helfferich,
whom tie socialists and communists
wanted to force out of the chamber
through cries of "Murderer! Assas-
sin"
Soon after the assassination of the
foreign minister and shortly. before
the opening of the session OF the
reichstag the commotion in the cham
her was marked by an odd coinci-
dence in the appearance Of a youth
at the side door bearing a large
wreath intended as a tribute to Helf-
ferich. Deputy Unterleitner, inde-
pendent socialist. took the floral piece
of roses and oak leaves, beribboned
m black, white and red, and, holding
II up, shouted: This is gift of
honor for Helfferich.'
Cries of "Shame! Shame!o
There was a shout from the. left
and Aties of Shame! Shame" "The
AA r gang"
IN namber Of the deputies immedi-
~1tely seized the wreath and pouneed
upon the youth, threw him down.
stairs and then turned him over to
the police.
1t developed, however, that he had
not heard of the assassination of
pathenau and meant the wreath in
honor of He1ferich's speech Of last
night, in which the nationalist leader
scored the government, and the for
eien minister, Gen. Won Gallwitz Of
the national peoples party. whose
name was mentioned by the youth.
finalIy was summoned and identified
him and vouched for his character
and sincerity.
After long rioting in the early part
Of che session, President Loebe's per-
suasiveness induced partial quiet and
the memorial proceedings were be-
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