The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-13
YON BUELOW ON
FOREIGN MATTERS
Germany At Peace With the World and
Desires to Remain So.
NO TROUBLE WITH AMERICA
Throughout the War the StriCteSt Neu-
trality Was Maintained.
THE EMPEROR'S EASTERN JOURNEY
Was for the Cause of Christianity, and
Not to Further Selfish Interests,
as the Hostile Press Had
Announced.
THE EMPEROR'S EASTERN JOURNEY

Berlin, December 12.-During the debate
on the foreign affairs In the reichstag to-
day, Herr Richter, the German radical lead
er, declared that no unnecessary obstacles
should be placed in the way of the importa-
tion of American products.
He advocated the new army bill, but said
that Ii was of such proportions that 1t did
not harmonize with the sympathy expressed
in the speech from the throne on the sub
ject of the czar's disarmament proposals.
Count Posadowsky- Wehner, imperial sec
retary OF state for the interior, replied. Re-
ferring to the alleged general uneasiness as
to the condition of public affairs, he said
that in his opinion the situation both at
home and abroad was favorable.
Baron Won Buelow, the foreign secretary,
dwelt at length upon foreign affairs. He
said me eastern question at the present mo-
ment was peaceful and much less threaten
ing to the peace of the world, though he
did not mean to imply that the problem was
settled.
"It il like a sea serpent" he continued,
lone bit appears after the other. None OF
those who hear me will live to see the final
settlement. We must after leave to our
children's children a few nuts to crack.
Germany does not aim al selfish influence
in the orient, and in that fact lies the Pc
culiarity and security of her position at the
Golden Horn. Sympathiss of the Turks with
Germany rest upon the conviction that she
means to uphold international law with ref
erence to Turkey as well as to other ma
tions."
Williams Recent Tour
Discussing Emperor Williams recent
tour Baron Won Buelow said that its result
had proved all the stories as to adventurous
plans and opposing claims The desire of
Emperor William, he asserted, to dedicate
the Church of the Redeemer himself was an
act of piety to his ancestors, as well as a
matter of personal religion.
The journey also showed other govern
ments, he continued, that Germany does
not wish to injure the well founded rights
of others anywhere. Neither in the east,
nor elsewhere did Germany oppose French
interests, though of course she had nowhere
recognized a foreign protectorate of Ger
man subjects, the protection of Germans
belonging only to the German empire-a
right not now declared for the frst time,
but which existed on January 10, 18T-(the
day King William of Prussia was proclaim
ed emperor of Germany at Versaillss) and
had been exercised on several occasions
since.
Referring to the expulsions from Prussia
he said:
international relations will be in no way
disturbed since the expulsions were an act
of sovereignty which in certain special
cases could not be avoided. Confidential
friendly negotiations with Austria on the
subject are proceeding. The dreibund has
not been shaken. That alliance was the re-
suit of a historic life-work of great states
manship and still holds good, preserving
the most complete autonomy at home, with
absolute independence abroad. The parties
thereto are equally interested In its main
tenance and each would lose to an equal
extent by the termination of the dreibund. -
With regard to Germany's relations to
Great Britain, Baron Won Buelow said there
were various matters in which Germany
could proceed in company with England.
and that willingly. without prejudice to and
and with the fullest maintenance of other
valuable relations. Then turning to Ger
many's attitude toward the Spanish -Amerl-
can war, he said:
No Unwarranted Intervention
"Our duty has been to take care that Ger
many's relations with neither Spain nor
America should be disturbed. Germany has
no special interest In Cuba and 1t was not
for Germans to judge who was right or o
was wrong. Therefore, the German gov
ernment has scrupulously observed a loyal
neutrality Never during the war did the
government show or even feel any inclina-
ton to work unwarranted Intervention.
"In a straightforward manner. within the
bonds of strict neutrality and without pref
udicng our relations with their belligerent.
we did everything in our power to prevent
injury to German shipping and trade.
(Cheers) Various differences of principle
existed in our commercial relations with
America, but negotiations that were
CONTINUED on Second Page.I