The Washington times., 1915-12-09
Galleries Cheer German
ChanceIlor's Proposal
To Await Peace Offers


rEIlLIN CviA wireless TO sayville. N.
~ 0ee. S-Speaking before crowded
ealieries In the reichstaR today, Chan
reil5r voft Bethmann-H Hollweg made
known Germany's position regarding
peacr
~ long as IN the countries Of our
eHonlies thS guilt and Ignorance OF
statesmen are entangied with confusion
Of public opinion. It would be folly for
Iermany to make proposals which
would not shorten, but lengthen the
duration OF the war;" said the chanccl-
lor.
First. the masks must be torn from
their faces. At present they speak OF a
war of annihilation against us. We
have to consider this fact-that theo-
retical arguments for peace or prOpo-
sitions. win not advance us: they will
not bring the end nearer.
"If our enemies make peace pro-
posals compatible with Gerlnany's dig
nifty and safety, then we shall always
be ready to discuss them.
Conscious of Success.
Fully conscious of our unshaken
military successes. we decline the
responsibility for the continuation OF
the misery which now ellis Europe
and the whole world. Nobody can
say that we are continuing the war
because we want to conquer, this or
that country as a pledge"
Enthusiastic cheers filled the reichs-
tag chamber when the chancellor
concluded his reply to the peace in
terpolation of DR.. Philip Scheide-
mann, Socialist leader. At first there
was tense silence throughout the
whole house and galleries. This was
soon interrupted by signs of assent.
Chancellor Won Bethmann-H -Hollweg
first declared that the prospects OF
excited great expectations and much
satisfaction in the countries of Ger
many's enemies. That this feeling
should prevail was incomprenensible. he
said, in view Os SeTmany's successes in
Serbia after opening the TUHu toward
her Turkish allies, and after threaten
in gthe most vulnerable points of the
British empire.
No Overtures Made.
Although this situation. he said, would
expla the desire Of Germany's
enemies for peace. ncne of them have
made any overtures. They rather ching
TO the intentions which they publicly
h1d armour ,ed at the beginning of the
WAT, ne SAiu, WIN naive
The chancellor reviewed recent utter
ances about possible peace conditions
that have come from Germany's
enemies.
tie mentioned among these the hand
ing over OF Alsace-Lorraine to the
French. the annihilation of so-called
PrusSian militarism. the expulsion Of
the Turks from Europe, the cession Of
the left bank of tho Rhine to France,
N.-... % a-uaI knNa 0Aah =
including what Is now the Austrian
province of Hosnia. 80
Won Bethmann- -Hcllweg said he
recognized thu fact that some people
In for eiGn countries were inclined to
look at the situation sensibly But
these, he said, are in the minority,
and their voices go unheard, like
those Of certain members CT the Eng
lish House OF Lords.
Pretext Disappears.
But the encmys theories have lost
force" he said. "The people have
ceased speaking about the war last
ing twenty years. The pTetext that
they are waging war for the protec-
tion OF small countries has lost its
persuasive power since the recent
events in Greece.
Small countries are in a plight,
since England is lighting"
The chancellor discussed the prin-
ciple of nationRlities as applied BY
GeTmany's enemies, and asked
whether the English colonial secre-
tary know that of the 1900, 900 in
habttants OF Alsace more than 81 per
cent speak German as their mother
tongue. He asked whether Poland,
Russia. He demanded to know
whether the same principle applied