Norwich bulletin., 1914-08-05
EMPEROR WILLIAM oPENl-
 I...7--.3.iAL PARLIAMENT Closed Address With Appsal to Lead CTS of All Parties to Pledge Loyal.

- '--s'' = - Closed Address With AppsaI to Lead.
 CTS of All Parties to Pledge Loyal
 ty.
 Berlin, Aug. 4-Emperor William opened the Imperial parliament today with an important speech from the throne of which the text was partly as follows:
 ''The world has been a witness of the indefatigable manner in which we stood in the front rank during the in the endeavor to spare the nations of Europe from war between the great powers.
 A Great Abyss Opened Up.
 ''The greatest periIs which had Balkans appeared to have been over come, but then the assassination of my friend the Archduke Francis Fer dinand opened up a great abyss.
 My ally, the Emperor Francis Jo- seph, was compelled to take up arms for the protection of his empire against the dangerous agitation ex- fsting in neighboring state.
 Tn pursuing it's interests the Rus sian empire stepped in the way of Austria a-Hungary.
 Must Resist Attack of UnfriendIy
 Forces.
 Now our duty as an ally calls us to the side of Austra-Hungary. but the great task was cast npon us, at the same time with the ancient com munfty of culture of the two empires, to protect our own position against the attack of unfriendly forces.
 It was with a heavy heart that I was. compelled to mobilize my army against Britain whose troops and mine had fought side by side on so many fields of battle and with sincere re- gret I saw the breaking of a friend ship to which Germany had been so faithful.
 '"The Imperial Russian government giving way to an unsuitable national ism, has stepped to the side of a state which through a criminal act had Not Surprised at Opposition of France.
 That France also placed herself on the side of our opponent was not surprising to us. Only too often had our efforts to bring about more | friendly relations with the French re- public come into contact with the expression of old hopes and with Ions | standing malice.
 "The present situation arose no l from temporary conflicts of interes UT OlplOIndllC DuI I | the result of i'll will existing for years 1 against the strength and prosperity o | the German empire.
 | No Desire of Conquest.
 We are not pushed on by the de sire of conquest We are moved b! | the unbending desire to secure fol l ourselves and those coming after u | the place on which God has put us | My government and, above all, m. | chancellor tried until the last momen to prevent the worst happening. '1n enforced self-defense, with clea | conscience and clean hands, we grasl | the sword.
 | "To the peoples and races of tn | German empire my appeal goes fort ] to stand together fraternally with ou | allies in defense of that which W have created in peaceful work, | Follow Example of Forefathers. ''FoIIowing the example of ou I forefathers, firm and faithful, earnes and chivalrous, humble before ou God and ready to fight when in fac of the enemy, let us confide ourselve to the everlasting Almighty. who wi
 strengthen our defense and conduct to a good end.
 At the conclusion of his speech tn
 emperor addressed the deputies dl rectly, saying:
 Il "Gentlemen: You have read whs | have said to my people the othe
 day from the balcony Of my castl
 I repeat now that l no longer kno'
 any parties. I know only German u and in order to testify that you ar l firmly resolved without distinction (
 narty. to stand by my side throug | danger and death, l call upon tn | leaders of the different parties in th | house to come forward and law the
 hands in mine as pledge
 Speech by Imperial Chancellor. Dr. Von Bethman- -Hollweg, the i'm perial chancellor, in a speech said: I've knew France was ready for a
 invasion. France was able to wait we were not. A French aggression int our flank on the lower Rhine woul have been disastrous and we, therefor
 were compelled to overrule the legit | mate protests of the LuXemburg an
 Belgian governments. We shall repa | the wrong we are doing as soon as oI
 military arms have been reached
 Procedure Outlined. Bethman- -Hollweg outlined the prC
 cedure of Germany in an endeavor maintain peace, saying: From the very outbreak of u | Austro-Servian conflict we worked confine the hostilities to Austria al
 Servia All the cabinets, part jcular that of Great Britain, used the san ] endeavor. Russia alone declared tn she must have something to say as '- the solution of the conflict, and ther oy raised the danger of European con
 plications.
 AS soon as the first definite neI
 was received regarding the RuSsi; = military preparations, we directed U friendly but strong communication
 St. Petersburg. pointing out that wa
 like measures against Austria -Hu l. gary Would find us on the side of O
 ally: that military preparations again