The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-08-23

don when the latter took leave OF the
British Foreign Minister after the
beginning of the war in August. 1914.
"Sir Edward Grey" said the Chan
cellor, emphasizing his words, said
that war between the two countries
would make it possible that at the
conclusion of peace he could render
usmore valuable services than had
England remained neutral"
The Chancellor explained that he in
terpreted these words to mean that
England desired the friendship of
beaten and weakened Germany as a
counter influence against powerful
Russia. England would be ready TO
use such GERMANY weak country
without industry and without a navy.
The Chancellor's report of this re-
mark caused a profound sensation in
the Reichstag.
The speech began with a review OF
the present military situation, the
Chancellor saying
Since you assembled at the last
session great things have happened.
Again all French attempts to shatter
our western front have failed, in
spite of the contempt for death and
the reckless waste of human lives of
the French
Italy our new enemy, who thought
that she could easily take her neigh
boris convicted goods, has been splen-
didly repulsed in spite OF numeri-
Zeal superiority, and has made an i'm
mense sacrifice in human lives.
mistaken and unsuitable stands
the DardaneIIes front.
I'VE greet our faithful allies and ex
tend special greetings to the exalted
ruler of the Danube, the monarch
who yesterday entered upon his eigh-
ty-siXth year
we ourselves have taken almost
all Galicia and large. part OF Poland
Lithuania. and Conrland, and our
| lines everywhere, far advanced into
the enemy's countries, stand like
walls. We ourselves have strong
armies free at our disposal for new
enterprises
Proudly and without fear We loos
into the future.
The Chancellor insisted that the
nations at war with Germany were al
tempting to deceive their people re
garding the present real situation
thus, as he declared, "incurrml
heavy blood guilt and denounced
what he declared to be "campaigr
of calumnes" conducted against Ger
many.
Our enemies" declared the Chan
cellor, pretend that Germany wa.
prepared for this war. since durini
its first year she was victorious Will,
her enemies, innocent and peaceful
were unprepared."
The Chancellor recalled newspaper
articles published in the Spring o
1914, at what, he said, was the mstiga
ton Of Russian War Ministers, il
which it was declared that Russi:
was completely prepared for war II,
recalled also the proud language
used for years by France in eonmec
ton with what he said was Frances
demand that Russia should use fo
| strategical purposes large part o
the money loaned her, and tn,
words of Sir Edward Gray in the Brit
ish Parliament, stating that in tn,
event of war Great Brtains war pre-
arations would enable her to protec
commerce to and from her shores
and Sir Edwards quoted declaration
IF we are engaged in war we shall
suffer II we stand aside"
The Chancellor arraigned what h,
/ declared was the English pretens,
I that Great Britain was fighting in tn,
interests of small neutral countries
THE legitimate commerce of neu
trail countries" he said, has beer
strangled by England, who fcrbid
neutrals to transport merchandise
coming from or going to Germany
even if the merchandise is not contri
band. Neutral ships are forced t
take English crews on board on tn,
high seas and do as they command
England occupies Greek islands with
out explanation, because this is con
4 venient for the liberty of the militar,
operations of herself and her allies
She tried, together with her allies. Il
force neutral Greece to concede teri
tory to Bulgaria because thus she de
sires to engage the latter nation OF
her side.
IN Poland, Russia, fighting, togeth
:, or with her allies destroys before tn,
retreat of her armies, the whole com
try evacuated, burns villages, de
spoils harvests expels the entire POI
ulation of villages and cities, Christ
ians and Jews alike, turning them in
to desert countries, and lets them pc
ish in the dirt of Russian roads or il
tightly closed railroad cars, withou
windows.
This is the liberty, this is the civ
lization for which our enemies ar,
fighting"
The Chancellor enumerated alleged
/ violations by England of the right!
of small nations, citing the cases o
the Boer republics, Egypt, and Prus
sia. This. lie said was the sam,
England which in 1914 declined a Gel