The daily sentinel., 1903-01-24
TO RANK FIRST.

Berlin. Jan 22.-During the buget
debate in the reichstag today Herr
Bebel described the government 8
deficit to the enormous expenditures
for the army and navy and to the stu
tile efforts to play the first role in
the world" which Germany was un-
able to do.
Herr Bebel further said that the
empires expenditures for the army
and navy were likely to grow even
greater under the pI esent conception
of the foreign policy. Germany
wanted to be first everywhere. Its
attitude toward weaker states would
never be tolerated by itself. Its ac-
tion toward Hayti was brusque and
how. the speaker asked. can the Pan
ther's bombardment Of fort San Carlos
be justified?
Continuing Herr Bebel remarked ::
president Castro is struggling for
life and the maintenance of the presi-
dent. We cannot take it ill of man
under these circumstances if he resists
excessive demands. The coercion of
Venezuela is in the interests of great
capitalists and Krupp firm has q
be resorted to except in extreme
cases.
Chancellor Won Buelow. in answer
to criticisms of Herr Bebel. Socialist
on the governments policy. said:
Herr Bebel has defended the singu.
lar behavior of Venezuelan govern
ment against us with degree of ami
nation such as have seen in no Eur
opean newspapers. President Castro
will no doubt read Herr Bebel's
speech with the greatest delight with
his morning coffee. Let me further
remark that the question at issue be-
tween Venezuela and the powers is
not merely one of claims. but of the
defense by the powers of their pres
tige. which has been impaired through
President Castro's action and through
the manner in which he repudiated.
impolite. to express it mildly. our
just claims. We were therefore per-
fectly justified in proceeding Jointly
preservation Of our PRESTIGE
In answering Herr Bebel's attack
upon Germany's naval expenditure
the imperial chancellor said;
"When Herr Bebel says that naval
officers. retired and on waiting orders.
have written articles claiming that
our fleet must be strong enough to
annihilate the British navy. [ answer
him that this. of course. is a fancy
picture which is found in the litera-
lures of all peoples. l point only to
the imaginary battle of Dorking.
which no reasonable statesman dreams
of and which no reasonable man in
Germany regards as possible. You
can see that these articles are mere
fancy pictures by consulting our fleet
plan. after the completion of which
our navy will occupy only fourth or
fifth place among the navies of the
world. We follow no aggressive
plans but propose merely the defense
I'll Jul COdsbo anu Gho PiotCSotOh VI
German citizens abroad That we
should not remain defen seless at sea
is the wish of the majority may
say without exaggeration of the great
majority Of the German people. II
Herr Bebel contradicts this. then he
his is out of harmony with the senti-
ments of the nation.
"Herr Bebel said also that the ex-
preston our future lies upon the wa
ters.' contains an aggressive aim to-
ward other nations. Herr Bebel ap-
pears to me to have proceeded here
also according to the principle Of i'm
putting false motives when other
means OF attack were exhausted. We
intend nothing of the kind. The ex
presssion quoted does not mean that
we want to drive any power from the
sea but we have just as good right
to sail the seas as the other nations
have. and the new German empire
has the right too"