he most moderate group of the Socialists and received the support of
the Centerists and others because these were far more opposed to the
Socialists of the extreme left, such as the Spartacan Communists.
Several revolts engineered by the Spartacans were put down with
considerable bloodshed. In January, 1919, soon after the defeat of the
Spartacides in Berlin, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, their
leaders, were put to death, and their minority party seemed to diminish
in strength. In the latter part of May, 1919, the majority Socialists of
the reactionary Ebert-Scheidemann group were at first opposed to the
signing of the Treaty of Paris, whereas the Spartacans, and also the
Independent Socialists under the leadership of Hugo Haase and Karl
Kautsky, tried to force their opponents to sign it, so that the people
of Germany might soon blame the "reactionaries" for the humiliation,
and rise in rebellion to overthrow them.

In Bavaria the anti-war sentiment spread rapidly, fostered by the
efforts of Kurt Eisner. King Ludwig abdicated the throne on November 16,
1918, and Eisner took up the reins of power, forming a Socialist
government. After a few weeks Eisner broke with the Ebert-Scheidemann
government of Berlin, and soon after was assassinated. Not long after
this the Bavarian communists imposed the Soviet form of government on
the country, much to the dislike of many of the inhabitants, especially
those living outside of Munich. The peasants of Bavaria rebelled against
the communist-soviet government of Munich, which finally fell, after the
Noske-Ebert-Scheidemann forces had marched against the city.

Very many years ago Socialists began to spread their doctrines as best
they could in the realms of the Czar. Many a Marxian was arrested for
attempting to undermine the Russian government and sent into exile in
Siberia. The World War having broken out, Russia suffered terribly, and
this suffering, especially of the masses, caused great discontentment
and made the people an easy prey to the revolutionary forces of
Socialism. The bureaucratic Czarist regime finally broke down in March,
1917, as soon as the revolution started. Three main contending parties
attempted to ride into power on the revolutionary tide; the Cadets, the
Moderate Socialists (i.e., the Mensheviki, and Social Revolutionists)
and the Bolsheviki or revolutionary Socialists. The Cadets were the
first to gain the upper hand, but were soon swept away, for the