Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-29
SAYS RHINELARD
REPUBLIC STANDS
THO GOVT. IS DOWN

Dusseldorf. Nov ze.-tBy A. P.)--
.'Ths RhineiAnd republic stands. blu,
the government has fallen"
Thus Joseph Matthes. one Of thu
chiefs In the senaratist movement, an.
nounced his dissolution Of the proyis.
sional government. which followed
Quickly upon an internal military coup
Ct Cobiens. Matthes ned when the
military dictatorship was set up. The
other members Of his cabinet were
placed under arrest, but later some al
them were released and the others
Joined the new dictatorship.
Regarding his future plans. Herr
Matthes Was non-comfnittal,
Matthes showed to the corresponds
9 letter he had addressed ID Paul III
rard, president OF the thtAr-aliied
Ahineland commission, annoStncing the
dissolution Of the provisional govern
ment and informing him thai the mar,
organizer OF the military Coup was q
man named Roscnbaurn, who until d
rev days ago was Matthes' private
secretary. It ts further stated in the
letter that Rosenbaum is q native Of
Cologne, speaking French iiuently, and
was Russian spy. Rosenbaum had
worked with French firms Of high
standing and was under no suspicion.
Within the past week two or three
members OF the de facto cabinet re-
signed. according to the letter. and the
remainder split into two parts. issu-
tng independent cabinet DEGREES.
"The so-called nigh army command.
which was dissolved a fortnight ago
by DR.. Dorten and his faction. as well
as by myself" continues the letter,
has attempted military dictatorship,
In which the principal part was played
by my already dismissed secretary, Ro-
senbaum, who proved to have been a
Prussian spy Working under orders
from Frankfort, after being in the
French service for the same object.
This military dictatorship, which used
funds literally, has attempted to seize
the power from the de facto cabinet.
The military Dictatorship. however,
took no steps against me personally.
although the cabinet was powerless to
resist its efforts, This, as we'll as the
was composed of incompetent or dis
honest persons, caused me to take the
above STEP"
Last night Matthes assembled the
remnants of his cabinet for a meeting
In the Old Castle. his provisional seat
Of the government since CoblenS was
made capital Of Rhineland. As Mat
thes entered for the meeting he OBJ
served several members Of the guard
scurrying about with carbines and 9TH
err weapons. He asked Herr Mertz, who
appeared to be the generalissimo of
the new Dictatorship. what was up. and
was informed: Absolutely nothing.
Our men are somewhat restless on the
third floor: we are trying to reduce
them to order"
.Matthes then went into the meeting,
which had barely begun when a depu-
tation from the third floor armed with
rifles appeared at the door and declared
that the members of the cabinet were
under arrest and that a new military
dictatorship had been formed.
Matthes again informed the deputa-
ton that the military command had al
ready been dissolved by decree, but his
words were without effect. He asked
the members of the cabinet what they
proposed to do. They seemed to equiv
ocate; so. feeling himself without suf-
ficient support. as he related it, he
decided then and there to, declare the
cabinet dissolved. Matthes was al
lowed to leave undisturbed. but the
others remained for some time under
arrest. - l.-..-.~ Isl .s.