The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-12-07
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Great Britain Is Disturbed by
Information That Germany
'' 4 Is Aiming for War.
J0HMs0N's KEYNOTE SPEECH
BY EDWARD W. ptckARp

~ REAT Britain is just realizing
~ the truth Of what France has
been asserting for months, namely,
that Germany is rapidly and sys-
tematicaliy preparing for a war. of
revenge. The British government,
press and public are viewing the situa-
ton with considerable alarm. Seem
ingiy authentic reports states that
since October. 1922, three months be-
fore the occupation Of the Ruhr, the
Germans have been recruiting, train
ing and rearming large numbers OF
men far In excess Of the stipulations
of the Versailles treaty. France is
Informed that Germany already has
enough. cannon to equip from forty to
sixty divisions, and that her factories
are working overtime turning out more
armaments. For a long time the Ber-
lin government has kept the allies
from checking up on the strength of
the German forces, and the allied
military commission has been unable
to function. A Reuters dispatch says
= British Uficiais, however, feel that
Germany Is not able at present to arm
the large number of men she is train
ing,7 in the event of mobilization, with
the necessary artillery, owing to the
French being in possession of her
principal industrial and munitions
area In the Ruhr."
II may well be that the rest Of; the
world will yet admit that the French
occupation Of the Ruhr was wise,
expedient and justified.
(, II has just been revealed that the
Germans on Jan. 10 arrested French
captain ten yards beyond the Swiss
German frontier on charges Of espion-
age, and Berlin has determined to put
hin on trial In Leipzig next January.
The French are arresting Germans as
hostages.
TOR the time being the German gov
: eminent is in the hands of the vari-
GUS nationalistic parties. and the So
cialists and Communists are in eclipse.
President Ebert first gave the vacant
chancellorship to DIR. Heinrich Albert,
whom Americans remember as the OBJ.
noxious chief Of propaganda connected
with the German embassy in Washing
ton during the early years Of the war.
1t was evident he was to hold the place
only until Stresemann could return,
and he found it impossible to form a
ministry that would he acceptable.
Ebert tentatively decided to dissolve the
reichstag, but changed his mind and
appointed Adam Stegerwald chancellor.
Tits former premier Of Prussia began
to get together a cabinet based on a
coalition Of all the right wing parties,
but be, too. failed. and the job was
given to Or. Wilhelm Marx. leader Of
the Catholic party and national head
Of the Catholic School association.
DR.. Stresemann agreed to take the
portfolio of foreign minister and the
new cabinet was to be backed by a
coalition Of the Catholics. the German
Peoples party and the Bavarian Peo-
pies party. with the Socialists prom
Using benevolent neutrality.
It was predicted that the new gov
eminent would follow rather closely
the foreign and finance policies OF
Stresemann and would treat the Com
munists and Socialists with severity.
Already General Won Seeekt had or
dered the Communist organizations in
Germany to disband. Longer hours Of
work will be instituted and the indus
trial magnates will be helped to re-
open their plants in unoccupied Ger
many.
Berlin's Communists. under alleged
orders from Moscow, undertook to hold
''hunger demonstrations" in several
parts Of the city, and even tried TO
build barbados just back Of Kaiser
Williams old palace. The police at
tackled them in force. with tanks. ar
mored cars and machine guns, and
soon put them to rout.
Ofecial announcement is made in