The New York herald., 1922-06-25
RATHENAU MURDER
CRIME OF POLITICS
Only Extreme Nationalists At
tempt to Bring In Rus
sian Angle.
DIED LIKE ERZBERGER
Background Of Both Slayings
Similar, Preceded by Same
Threats.
DIED LIKE ERZBERGER

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK HERALD
Copyright. 1923. by THE NEw YoxK HnaAi.n.
New York Herald Bureau
Berlin. June "a.
The political character of the mur-
der of DR.. Walter Rathenau is gen.
orally conceded. Only in extreme ma
tionalist circles Is the suggestion made
that the Russian nationalists were
| aroused because DIR. Rathenau signed
the Rapallo treaty with the Bolsheviki
during the Genoa conference.
Most Germans. Irrespective of party.
speak OF the assassination as typical
of long series of several hundred
murders which the monarchists and
nationalists have perpetrated during
the last three years. beginning with
! Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxem-
burg, Matthias Erzberger and the at
tempted striking down of Philip
Scheidemann.
The background of tho murder OF DR.
Rathenau to-day is striking in It's SIM
ilarity with that OF Erzberger. both in
the nature of plot and the domestic
and foreign policy OF both men. Both
statesmen received threatening letters
long In advance. In each instance tho
murderers had ample funds. plotted the
crime long In advance and operated in
a gang.
Others Get Same Threats.
Scheidemann and Dr. Wirth. the
present Chancellor, have received like
threats. AT Erzberger's trial II was
disclosed that a Nationalist secret or
ganization had been working against
the Republican Government. maintain
ing a central bureau called the murder
section. Only Nationalists under oath
were admitted to membership. The
members were mostly former officers
and mepnbers OF discharged military
units. which had been terrorizing the
Baltic provinces.
Two youths practically found guilty
OF killing Erzberger were members Of
this organization. Their program In
cluded "the propagation OF Nationalist
ideals. fighting internationalism and the
Jews"
Erzberger was assassinated because
he was regarded as the man who sealed
Germany's defeat by signing the terms
sought an understanding with France
and England through the most liberal
fulfillment OF the terms of the Treaty
of Versailles. He is aso supposed to
have had Socialistlc leanlngs.
The Nationalists who opposed DR.
Rathenau had made similar charges
The late Foreign Minister. though he
supported the German war policy, was
democratically inclined. and not In
sxf tHt.1 .fr.a "a,
nexations.
Charges Made by Foes.
He had been accused OF favoring So
ciallsm because he suggested the modi-
fed socialization of industry and gave
the workers a share in the management
and the profits Of the Allegemolne Eiek-
tricitaets Gesellschaft. OF which he was
large stockholder The Nationalists
were particularly hostile to DR.. Rath-
enau because he was the first manu-
factturer TO seek an understanding with
the Bolshcvlki and because. as a repre-
sentative OF the wirth Government. he
went to London 70 establish a practical
basis for the payment of reparation.
What enraged the Nationalists more
than anything else was the fact that he
preached the most liberal fulfllment Of
the peace terms. with the view 70 re-
concillation and close economic relations
with the arch-enemy. France.
DR.. Rathenau made reparatlons con-
cessions when the Nationalists urged
resistance. DR.. Rathenau. at the Genoa
conference. talked peace, while the Ma
tionallsts continued agitation for the
reconstruction OF Germany's military
forces. Finally, his Jewish origin was
Il -