Evening star., 1923-10-04


r:cus threat to the government. But
the fact that it coincided with Hit
lcr's preparations for military opera
tinnG aSain%t Saxony and Berlin, ana
with the revolt within Chancellor
Stresemana'a own party against his
firm republican policy. shows con-
centration of monarchist military
forces which can only be interpreted
al a far-reaching plot to overthrow
constitutional government and estao-
preparation for an eventual war OF
revenge against France.
The nationalists who seized kueS-
trim were members of former mon
arehist regiments, who had been
obliged to hide since the failure of
the Kapp Putsch and who had been
supported as day laborers on large
estates OF east Germany (Which Is
thoroughly monarchisD. The mill
tary units were thus kept together
while their arms were hidden about
Action Dramatic.
They made their daring attack on
kuestrin at the exact moment when the
plans of the monarchists were at a
standstill, and dramatic act was need
ed to start things going again. 1t Is
clear that the p!otters.did not have suffi-
cient forces to seize Berlin, and that
they did not intend monarchist revo-
luton in northern Germany. Their OBJ
ject proba bly, was to provoke the So
cialfstS and communists to take vigorous
action. either directly by seizing mill
tary control Of Berlin, or indirectly by
forcing the government to call upon the
proletarian battalions for aid. This
would have given Hitler the excuse he
needed for union of his forces with
those of Dictator Kahr of Bavaria for
the long promised march on Berlin.
The plan failed this time. but many
well informed persons believe the at
tempt will be repeated on larger scale
before long. Meanwhile. the peoples
party, repre- senting the big industrialists.
q member. has revolted against the
chancellor's declared intention to assert
the authority OF the republican govern
ment against the Bavarian monarchists,
and demanded the election of the So
cialists and the inclusion of the ma
tionalists in the government.
This would mean official protection
for the nationalist military organfza-
tions. which 1t fs generally believed
the big industriaiists are supporting
(The maneuver apparently has been
successful for Chancellor Strese-
mann's cabinet resigned Wedne sday
and he now is engaged in forming a
new one, In which 1t is expected the
socialists will have no part.)
Loyalty Questioned.
The loyalty of the Reichswehr in
the crisis is very questionable. Many
republican leaders express the belief
that not a single Reichswehr general
Is reliably republican. Detachments
Of the Reichswehr may obey orders
in single instances, as they did at
Kuestrin, but nobody can be confident
that the army would fight Loyalty for
the republic against a general up
rising of the Hitler-Ludendorff
monarchfst forces
In Bavaria, many members OF the
Reichswehr are openly enrolled in the
illegal monarchist regiments, and in
more cases than one have betrayed
Reichswehr arms depots to the
monarchists.
Recent events show that agents of
Ludendorff are exceptionally active
in north Germany. and are being
aided by powerful political. military
and industrial forces. The republic
military situation, therefore, is highly
serious, and this must be taken into
consideration II military censorship
again is enforced as it has been dur
ing the beginning Of the present
week. .--.---- ...-.-