Nebraska Newspapers

    THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
OUST EBERT RABIHE
GERMAN MONARCHISTS IN CON
TROL AT BERLIN.
KAPP THE NEW CHANCELLOR
Old Party Deposed Without Bloodshed
-Trouble Feared by U. S. Gov.
crnmcnt Officials.
Berlin.-Tin- government of Fried
rlcli Khert, tin- soclnllst president of
11 i'o Gorman ropulilie, was overthrown
March 1R by n military coup d'Hiil.
Tin revolution was peaceful. The gov
ernment's fall followed uiiiiounoeinent
Unit h revolutionary pint had heeii dis
cooml. Dr. Wolfgang Kiijip, head of
the powerful fatherland party and gen
eral director of the agricultural socie
ties, hits ousted Gustav Butler, the
chancellor, and In taking Hint olllee
himself linn temporarily HUinod direc
tion of affairs.
There are now two contending gov
ernments In Cermauy, the new one un
der Chancellor Kapp at Berlin; the old
one under President Ebert, at Dresden.
Both are now matching wits and
forces to gnln control of the republic.
Dr. Wolfgnng Kapp, who proclaimed
the now order iit Berlin and himself
chancellor, Is employing all his efforts
1o nssuro the (!ennan people that gov
ornment under him and those he se
lects to administer affairs will mean
true democracy, Increased productive
ness and conservation of the rights of
the working people.
Frlodrleh Khert, president of the old
government, with most of his minis
ters, hastily withdrew from Uerlln
when the revolting troops marched in
and Kapp and Von Luettwitz took
control, Is variously reported to he in
Dresden or Stuttgart, and from his
point of security Is calling upon the
socialists and working classes gener
ally to stand by the old government.
A bloodless revolution thus far has
characterized the movement upon
Uerlln, where the people are viewing
events with that serenity io which
they have been accustomed by the oc
currences of recent years. There Is,
however, an undercurrent of anxiety
because barbed wire entanglements
Imvo been, thrown up In front of the
groat public buildings near Unter den
Linden and Wllholnistrnsso, cannon
and machine guns are posted at the
cross streets and other points of van
tage, nnd heavily armed guards are
stationed throughout the city. This Is
an ominous sign of possible clashes
when those opposed to the counter rev
olution marshal their forces for future
action.
There 1ms been constant otllchtl re
iteration of the statement that the new
government Is not reactionary; that It
does not desire the restoration of the
monarchy, hut that it has come into
oillce so Hint Germany may be rehabil
itated. Chancellor Kapp, in a state
ment, said thnMho conditions of the
peace treaty would he fullllled, so fai
ns they, could be reconciled with tier
man honor and Germany's economic
condition,
While adherence to the new govern
ment has been promised by some of
the outside stateB, Saxony has de
clared against it, and Bavaria, Wart-
teinbtirg and Bndon have Joined In de
nouncing tliu movement.
Field Marshal Von Illndenhurg Is
reported to ho favored by the now re
gime for Imperial president. The
former minister of foreign affairs,
Gottlieb A'on .Ingow, and General
Union Von Knlkenhuuson, former gov
ernor general of Helgluni, are among
the loaders of the eountor-rovolutlon.
Kaiser Not Implicated.
Tho Hague. Neither the former em
peror nor tho crown prince Is Impli
cated In the overthrow of the German
government, so far as can bo learned
here. Assurance has been trlven by
entirely reliable authority that both
Amerongen castle, where the former
emperor lives, and the Island of
Wloiingon, where tho former crown
prince makes his residence, are al
ready so closely guarded that It will
be absolutely unnecessary for the
Dutch government to take further
measures to prevent Intrigue or their
oH'iipe.
Washington Concerned.
Washington. D. C News of tho
overthrow of tho Ebert government
In Germany and the Institution of
monarchist nnd militarist 'control of
tho empire caused deep concern In
Planned Open Revolt.
Tombstone, Ariz. Documentary
proof that there was In July, 11)17, a
concerted action by certain elements
throughout tho country to destroy the
government of the United States and
that this movement Included the War
ren mining district of Arizona, Is In
possession of counsel for Harry E
Woetlen, on trial, charged with kid
naplng In connection with the Ulsbee
deportations, according to a statement
Jimdo In open court by W. 11. Burgos,
chief of counsel for the defense.
Wills Island to Son.
Washington, D. C The will of Rear
Admiral Robert 13. 1'eary, I J. S. N
retired, tiled here for probate, directs
that ull medals, trophic and hooks
and Eagle Island, near South Harps
well. Me., be given to his Klyctir-old
son, Robert E. Peary, Jr. Mrs. Poarv
recclvoH for herself and division among
the children the residue of the estate,
Including securities ostlniu'tod in value
at $1)0,000, and n group of Islands In
Casco bay, Maine. Eagle Island was
purchased with money the admiral
earned which n high school student.
government circles, where the feeling
prevails that the situation may com
pel tho allied powers to undertake
forcible measure! to require Germany
to carry out the terms of the treaty of
Versailles. Developments in Uerlln
left no doubt In tho minds of govevn
ment officials that the Kiipi party
was monarchlstlc and militaristic.
That It would like to restore the old
llohenzollein dynasty Is the Inference
drawn from the occurrences In tb
German capital. There Is a well
grounded opinion here, however, lha:
the allied Kovernlnont will not eon
sent to the restoration of Emperor
Wllllnm. or the crown prince.
Tho allies regard tho former kaiser
as n criminal and hold that the Ger
man government acknowledged this
when they signed the treaty of Vor
sallies with Its provision for tho trial
of Wllllnm.
The whole, situation produced by the
coup d'etat .'n Uerlln Is full of minor
talnty and tiiinger and It Is believed
here that the European allies wITI Im
mediately take eoiiunnn counsel to de
termine what steps are essential on
their part to remedy conditions Hint
may prove harmful to allied Interests,
ami endanger execution by Germany
of the terms of the peace treaty.
TEXAS TOWN BURNED.
Lose of $2,000,000 and 1,500 Persons
Are Made Homeless.
Fort Worth, Tex. Loss estimated at
more than .$2,000,000 was caused and
l.fiOO people rendered homeless by lire
which swept Orandvlew, destroying tin
entire business uud residential portion
of the city.
Taking the shape of a "V" the 11 re
swept through the city, taking more
than 1200 homes In the best residential
section. When the lire reached Main
street hopes were held out for the bus
Iness section, as the wind, which wa
blowing n terrlllc gale, was from the
north, when by some freak veered and
the lire swent Into tho business sectloi.
like a wave, engulfing every building
In the eight blocks of the business
streets.
KILLED BY TORNADO.
Missouri Twister Takes Lives of Eleven
Persons In Missouri.
Springfield, Mo. Eleven were killed
outright and eight Injured as the result
of u tornado which swept through the
valley of Turkey creek near Uranson
and Mollister, of Taney county, last
Thursday. Seven of the dead aro
minor children of Han and WlUlnin
Uox, brothers, living a Melvn, a small
town live miles south of Uranson. In
addition the wives of both men re
ceived Injuries from which It Id be
Moved they cannot recover.
Tornado In Mississippi.
Greenville, Miss. Five negroes were
killed, between twenty-tlve and thirty-
five Injured, and twenty-live tenant
houses were destroyed by a tornado In
Washington county, near Percy.
FAIL TO SETTLE COAL ISSUE.
Conference of Operators and Miners
Closes With No Agreement.
Washington, D. C Representatives
of the bituminous coal miners and
opeators, whoso differences, which
reached a climax In the disastrous
strike last fall, remain unsettled, fol
lowing a lengthy conference here,
called by President Wilson.
Tho bituminous coal commission
having submitted a report which falls
of agreement between representatives
of operators and miners, both sides
feci convinced thnt It Is up to them to
get together by themselves, as they
did before tho government Intervened
nnd to mako another effort to reach
an agreement.
. West Virginia Ratifies.
Charleston, W. Va. The West Vir
ginia legislature ratified the federal
suffrage amendment by a vote of Id
to 1-1 following a dead loci; of several
days.
Tho vote of Senator Jesse A, Uloch
of Whellng, who made u hurried trip
from California to Charleston, to vote
on the amendment was effectual In
breaking the deadlock between pro
and antl-suffrago forces.
Quake In Russia.
Constantinople. Several hundred
persons are dead and thousands of
others are homeless ns a result of an
earthquake which, destroyed Mali
kct and Grakalat nnd other vil
lages within a radius of sixty miles
west of TIIlls, according to reports re
ceived here.
May Boost Prlco of Coal.
New York. Demands which anthra
cite mine workers of Pennsylvania
have asked operators to Incorporate id
tin- new wage agreement to bo drafted
to take effect April 1, and formally pre
sented to the mine owners recently,
and u sub-conunltteo of practical ni'un
was named to negotiate the now con
tract. Unolllclal opinions were ex
pressed by operators that the Increase
In wages asked by tho miners would
moan a rise in the price of coal to the
consumer, If granted.
Couple In Eighties Marry.
London. John Mllner, 80 years old,
got out of his bed, where lu had been
lying the last four years, to marry
Mary Hart, 8.'!. Roth were bo Infirm
that they walked Into church with tho
aid of canes.
Some Dead Heroes to Remain.
Washington, D. C The bodies of
about 50,000 of the American dead In
France will he returned to the United
Stales, while between 20,000 nnd 'Jfi.OOO.
will remain permanently Interred over
seas, Secretary Uaker announced.
1 Steamship Moccasin former (ferman liner, mysteriously sunk at her pier In Brooklyn. 2 New Cana
dian federal parliament building recently opened by the duke of Devonshire. 3 Italian reservists returned to
Anierlcn after fighting through the war.
NEWS REM OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Reactionaries Under Kapp and
Luettwitz Seize Berlin and
Oust Ebert.
GERMAN REPUBLIC DISSOLVED
Turkish Conditions Compel Allies to
Show Force Russia Again Seeks
Peace Supreme Council on Eco
nomlc Restoration Another
Final. Struggle in Senate
Over the Treaty.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD.
Germany now appears to be actually
In tho throes of the counter-revolutionary
monnrchlst struggle that has
loomed large of late In all the news
from Uerlln. Whnt has been the gov
ernment has now ceased to exlsi. The
tower of tho state Is In the hands of
the factions In favor of restoring a
monarchy In Germany, with some rela
tive of WllUam HohenzoUern on the
throne. Those factions have been try
ing to overthrow tho republic and bring
about the downfall of President Ebort.
General Director Kapp Is reported
to be at the head of this "revolution."
General Luettwitz Is slated to ho com
mander In chief of the military forces.
These names Indicate Its reactionary
character. Dr. Kapp was president of
the fatherland party, which favored
carjing on the war to tho bitter end.
After the armistice 1 the Socialists
clamored for his arrest, charging that
he had prolonged the war and hinder
ed peace.
Maj. Gen. Luettwitz was military
governor of Uelglum In the early days
of the war. lie Is thoroughly Prussian
and has been strong In his opposition
to the peace terms. He has an Ameri
can wife, horn Gary, of Cleveland.
The military power behind Kapp
and Luettwitz is presumably troops re
cently returned from the Ualtlc states.
These troops are believed to be In con
trol of Uerlln.
AH sorts of possibilities are In the
air. Tho national assembly has been
dissolved. The Socialist parties have
declared a general strike. Some sor.t
of a government Is being formed. In
the meantime Kapp Is practically a
dictator.
Conditions In Turkey have been going
from bad to worse until the supremo
council of the allies has been driven
not only to adopt drastic measures but
even to plan for the temporary tak
ing over of certain of the Turkish
government activities, Including the
war department. If tho Turks behave
themselves better and cease the inns
snoring of Armenians this control will
bo only temporary. Urged especially
by Premier Venlzelos of Greece, the
council Is said to have ordered the
occupation of Important points In Asi
atic and European Turkey by allied
military and naval forces In the be
lief that strong showing of mllltnry
force would bring the Turks around
to their senses. If this Is not sufll
dent. It may be necessary to start
operations ugalnst Mustapha Kernel
I'uMiu. the Turkish commander In
Asiatic Turkey, and It Is believed
these would he carried out by tho
Greek army of 00,000 men now In tho
Smyrna region.
Since the recent massacre In Ma-
rash similar outrages have occurred
In a number of other places and It
Is reported that Turks. Kurds and
Arabs are besieging Alntab, Urfa, DIa
hekr, Manila and other towns. In
all these places there are American
relief workers who are In danger, and
many days ago Consul J. R. Jackson
at Aleppo asked our state department
to send a squadron of warships to
Port Alexandrettn. The French gar
risons, however, are the chief objects
of attack and considerable French re
Inforeements hnve been sent to CM
da.
The trouble In Turkey, which Is
said to he directed from Uerlln and
supported by the hoHlievlkl, Is a part
of the general light holm: put up In
I'.gypt, Mesopotamia, and other conn
tries by so-called imtlomilisis win, are
attacking the Uritlsh rule. Dispatches
from Turkey assert that Prince Foisnl
of the Hedjaz kingdom Is Implicated
In it nnd has suggested n possible
union of Turkey, Syria and the Hedjaz.
The situation Is becoming almost as
complicated and dllllcult to under
stand as that In Russia some months
ago.
What was heralded as a great drive
against Poland by the Russian bolshe
vik! was turned Into a decisive defeat
of the latter when the Poles took two
Important railway junctions and a
large number of prisoners, Including
an entire division staff. Immediately
thereafter Tchltcheiin, soviet foreign
minister, sent another pence note to
Warsaw, asking when and where the
peace delegates of all the border na
tions might meet with the representa
tives of the bolshevlkl. He asked Po
land to refrain from further hostilities
and explained that the soviet opera
tions on the Lithuanian and White
Ituthenlnn fronts, which the Poles -had
broken up, were Inspired by fear thnt
the Poles Intended to start a drive
against the Ukraine. President Pllsud
ski's position In Poland was greatly
strengthened by tho victory of his
troops and the attitude of the Mos
cow government.
The Roumanians and tho bolshevlkl
are in a fair way to make peitce, ne
gotiations now being under way at
Dorna-Watra in Rukowina. As a pre
liminary the Roumanians demnnd that
the soviet troops bo withdrawn from
tho frontier and that commercial rela
tions be resumed. It now appears like
ly tluit Roumanln will succeed in her
great purpose of annexing, or recov
ering, Bessarabia.
The supreme council of the allies,
taking note of the distressing state of
the world In general, has Issued a
memorandum on economic conditions
that is welcomed by all serious mind
ed persons. For the preservation of
civilization it urges, as might lie ex
pected, the early and complete res
toration of pence conditions, with nor
mal economic relations, reduction of
armies to a peace footing nnd limita
tion of armaments; the encourage
ment of larger nnd better output by
workers everywhere; the suppression
of extravagance, and deflation of
credit and currency ; and usslstance
for countries that are now unproduc
tive for lack of ntw materials. With
out any suggestion of mitigating the
treaty terms It is staled thar Germany
and especially Austria must lie en
abled to obtain foodstuffs and raw
materials In order that they may re
cover enough to pay the Indemnity
demanded of them, nnd It is declared
that the total of tho reparation must
lie lixod ut the earliest possible time.
There Is even a suggestion that Ger
many should he allowed to raNe nn
International loan to meet her imme
diate needs. Li this proposed line of
conduct toward the vanquished na
tions the supremo council is facing the
facts with business calculation, not
with sentimental feelings.
At frequent Intervals the opposing
forces In the senate have entered on
what Is described by the Washington
correspondents as the decisive strug
gle over the peace treaty of Versailles.
At this writing they are engaged In
another of those combats, and the
prospect Is that this time it really will
lie decisive. Early in the week Presi
dent Wilson, rather than to confer
with n representative of the compro
misers, wrote a long letter to Senator
Hitchcock In which he reasserted his
old position regarding tho treaty, con
demned the reservations as a nulllfl
cation of the League of Nations cove
nant and pleaded for consideration of
the needs of humanity Instead of "spe
cial national interests." He demand
ed that article 10 be accepted un
changed and asserted that to refuse to
accept the moral obligation required
by It would be n breach of good faith;
If the United States cannqt enter the
league with t'till responsibility,, he said,
It should retire gracefully from the
great, concert of powers. Article 10,
said the president, represents the re
nunciation by the other great powers
of their old Imperialistic Ideas and
alms, and Its doctrine Is the essence
of Americanism. Ho continued:
"Militaristic ambitions and Imperial
istic polities are by no means dead,
even In the councils of tho nations
whom we most trust and with whom
we most desire to be associated In the
tasks of peace." And then he added
the surprising statement that the mill,
taristlc party of France which was
prevented from getting the upper hand
during the pence conference Is In con
trol there now. In evident allusion to
Vincent Grey's letter, lie says he 1?
"not willing to trust to the counsel ol
diplomats the working out of nny sal;
vntlon of the world from things whlcli
It has suffered."
Quite naturally, Mr. Wilson's refer
enccs to French polities annoyed the
French government nnd enraged the
French people. It was reported that
Ambassador Jusserand had be nn In
structed to ask our state department!
tor a more explicit explanation of the
president's meaning.
That the president's letter sounded
the knell of the treaty was the gen
eral opinion, for while there wore
some further feeble efforts at compro
mise, the senators prepared them
selves for a flnnl fight in which It was
believed enough "Democrats would be
rallied to the support of the president
to prevent ratification with reserva
tions, provided tho "Irreconcilable"
Republicans voted with them.
The Insurgent Democrats, most ol
whom are up for re-election this year,
are Inclined to think Bryan was right
when he said the party could not af
ford to go before the country on the
Issue of article JO, yet that Is the pros
pect that confronts the Democrats.
And If that Is made the issue, it is
predicted that Mr. Wilson will he com
pelled to reconsider his reported de
cision not to seek n third term. Ol
the administration Democrats who are
after the nomination Attorney General
Palmer is the only one who is trying
to capture Instructed delegations, nnd
of course if his chief determined to
run again, Mr. Palmer would have tc
stand aside. The others, like McAdoo.
have been contenting themselves with
keeping their names before the public
and advising the sending of unlnstruct
ed delegates to San Francisco.
Many of the Republicans welcomed
the chance to make article 10 the Is
sue of the campaign, the lrreconcll
ables especially being pleased. The
situation served to boost the stock of
Senator Hiram Johnson considerably.
Two of his colleagues, Kenyon of Iowa
and Norris of Nebraska, promptly an
nounced that they would support his
candidacy. "The president has mnde
the Issue," said Kenyon. "It Is arti
cle 10. Let the tight come. Let the
Democrats nominate Woodrow Wilsor
under the white ling of international
ism and the Republicans nominate Hi
ram Johnson under the Stars am!
Stripes of Americanism."
So far, however, the main contest
ants for the Republican nomination re
main as before. General Wood and
Governor Lowden. Roth have made
considerable progress nnd also their
managers have succeeded In stirring up
a good deal of bitterness' In sonic
states, notably Illinois, where the Low
den men thought the Wood forces were
trying to trespass on their preserves
When Frank Hitchcock became active
ly engaged In the Wood campaign It
was believed this would assure for the
general the support of all the south
ern states, where Hitchcock built up
a smooth-working machine when he
,wns postmaster general. But this
Idea received a Jolt last week when
the North Carolina state convention
indorsed the candidacy of Judge Peter
C. Prltchnrd.
Herbert Hoover has done something
to mnke clear his political atllllntlons.
In n letter to n California admirer ho
says It Is well known thnt he was n
progressive Republican before tho
war, and that he Is now an Indepen
dent progressive.
The president's commission for set
tlement of the coal mine labor troubles
was unable hist week to formulate a
unanimous report ns Mr. Wilson re
quested, but one wns forwarded to
the White House, signed by Penle, rep
resenting the owners, and Robinson,
representing the public. White, repre
senting the miners, refused to concur.
The Supreme court of the United
States denlt the national treasury
rather a severe blow last week when
It decided that stock dividends of cor
porations ure not taxable as Income.
The government will be compelled to
return n huge sum maybe as much as
$100.000,000 already collected. Many
corporations thnt have been accumu
j luting big surpluses have been nwult
i lug the decision to "cut melons,"
GOAL El INDICTED
BOTH OPERATORS AND MINERS
MUST FACE COURT.
CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY
Cited for Violation of Lever Act.
Penalty for Offense Huge Fine and
Two Year Prison Term.
Indianapolis, Ind. An Indictment
charging conspiracy In violation of the
Lever fuel control act and'tho federal
criminal code, making 12." coal op
erators nnd miners as defendants, was
tvturnod In federal district court here
by a special grand Jury which has
been Investlgntvliig the coal Indus'try
lnn December 17, 1010. More than
lmlf of the defendants are operators,
ii is said.
I'.oiid wns fixed by Federal Judge A. ,
P.. Anderson at $10,000 In some of the
cases, and nt $5,000 In others. The do
feiidnnts will be nrnilgned Mny -1.
Names of those Indicted will not be
made public until they are arrested.
Ten overt acts are charged against
the coal men in the Indictment, which
contains eighteen counts. It is under
stood that many of the violations
charged have no connection with the
strike of bituminous miners, but oc
curred prior to tlie signing of the
armistice.
The Indictment was brought under
Sections 4 anil 0 of the Lever act and
Section .'17 of the criminal code, and
charges In general that miners and
operators conspired to cnhun.ee the
price of necessaries by restricting dis
tribution, limiting manufacture and by
other means, and by conspiring to
commit offenses ns defined In the
criminal code ngninst the United
States. Tho penalty on conviction Is
a line not exceeding .$10,000, imprison
ment for not more tlian two years, or
both fine and Imprisonment.
THOUSANDS MASSACRED.
Girl at Scene of Horror Writes A
Most Remarkable Letter.
Constantinople. "Ten thousand Ar
menians are reported massacred and'
now the French troops nre evacuating
the city. I hnve decided to stay wltln
my orphans nnd take what comes-.-This
mny be my last letter. Whatever
lmppcns, rest assured : 'God's In heaven
and all's well." I am working in the
daytime and often In the night time In
the emergency hospital. Believe me
war Is hell."
This entry for February 10 con
cludes a remarkable letter Just re
ceived nt Constantinople from Miss.
Evelyn Trostle, of MncPherson, Kas.,
a worker of the American committee
for relief In the near east, at the
siege of Mnrash, who is still there,
caring for the homeless and wounded.
NO MORE ALLIED LOANS.
U. S. Government States Sufficient
Funds Already Advanced.
Washington, D. C Secretary Hous
ton has announced that no further
loans would be made to the nllles. Un
der authority granted by congress to
extend $10,000,000,000 credits to the
allied nations, the treasury has made
loans amounting to 0,0,"9,S:?4,0 10..
Secretary Houston said that the re
mainder of the credits' authorized
w6uld not be granted, as It wns.
thought sulllcient advances had been
IlliKIU. uisf ussuig liiu iUi-m)n, iji-ub-
ury "olllclals said that in view of the
exchange situation and tho unsettled
economic conditions of the European
nations dining the reconstruction pe
riod, it would seem advisable to per
mit thein to postpone interest pay
ments for at least three years.
Rate Flaise Expected.
Washington, D. C Tho initial move
that foreshadows railroad rate in
creases probably of not less than
twenty per cent, and possibly twenty
five per cent, has been made by the
Interstate commerce commission. Tills
Is t'he interpretation placed upon t he
announcement by Hie commission that
on March 22 hearings will begin here
to outline the futuiv rate policy of the
commission under the provisions of
the new railroad legislation.
Proof of Severe Winter.
Burlington, In. After blocking the
Mississippi liver for 100 days, the Ice
has moved out at this point. This
period of 100 days is the longest the
river has been blocked here for thlrly
two years.
Stuffed Olives Cause Illness.
Deliver, Colo. Poisoned olives were
discovered In this city, after Mrs. IT.
E. Benke was made seriously III, and
n warning has been Issued by W. F.
Cannon, state food and drug commis
sioner. The bottle which Mrs. Blake
used has been sent to the state
chemist nt Boulder, for analysis. Tho
commissioner sniil that they were
green, stuffed olives of n well known
brand, nnd put on the market by n re
liable bouse. They were purchased at
ono of the largest stores In this city.
Scramble to Reach "Healer."
New Orleans, La. Led by a score of
crippled and ailing men and women,
hundreds of persons crowded the Miss
Isslppl river levee here, trying to reach
the ramshackle houseboat of John
udnoy, a kindling peddler, known as
"Brother Isnlnh," from reputed cures
by the laying on of hnnds. The press
was so great that 2." policemen were
assigned to preserve order and on a
rumor thnt Cudney was nbout to np
penr there wns n rush which boro live
of the L'llfirils llltn tlvn rlvrx All
..... ........ ....u .a,., ,
rescued.