South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-11
Chancellor, in Ringing Interview, Defends
Kaiser as Man of Peace and Says
Germany is Waging Defensive War

every power within his command or
influence TO preserve the peace of
mankind, England must forever bear
the blame for the conflict"
1T has been suggested Mr.. Chan
cellOr, that the English government
was not frank in dealing with Ger
many; that if it had announced plain
ly its intention to take part in the war
on the side of the allies the course of
Germany might have been wholly diff
ferent."
mo, the English government was
frank enough about that, and L never
had any doubt as to what they in
tended TO do in the event of actual
war. Their crime against the world
was that they actually had in their
power to say whether there should be
world war or not, and with that OPP
portunity in their hands they delib-
eratelv supported France and Russia
and made an absolute certainty of the
greatest disaster in the history OF the
world"
You seem confident that the war
will end in a complete German vic
tory?"
Sure of German Victory.
Absolutely. No one who under
stands the situation can have the
slightest doubt of complete German
on the enemy's soil. We have possess
sion of Belgium: we have a large part
of France, and our armies are extend
ed far into Russia. Whatever doubts
there may have been in the past few
months, the present situation shows
that Germany's triumph is absolutely
inevitable"
But will not the possession Of the
sea power by the allies keep Germany
Io1v
plies, while her enemies draw power
from all neutral countries-and will
not this prove 10 be an overwhelming
disadvantage to Germany"
The big chancellor smiled and shook
his head. THAT will not change the
ultimate result" he said. 81 know
that the English hope to starve Ger
many. They think to accomplish by
a naval blockade what they cannot do
for all that. You are here in our
country now and you see that we are
all getting enough to eat, that prices
are moderate. and that nobody has
any fear of starvation. SO far as the
supplies necessary for the continued
support of our population are con-
cerned, everything has been provided
for and systematized in good German
fashion. We shall all have something
10 eat till the very end"
"And when will the end come, Mr..
Chancellor? When will the world
have peace?"
The English say that the war will
last for 90 years. They say that Ger
many must be completely destroyed.
That is their view. Germany has no
desire to destroy any nation. From
the German standpoint, this Is war
of pure self-defense-a war which
can end only when Germany has abso-
lutely secured full protection for her
continued growth along the peaceful
lines of cultural and economic devel-
opment."
The tall chancellor rose and slowly
paced the quiet room, his hands locked
behind his back.
Think of this tremendous coalition
Of nations against Germany! And what
have they accomplished We have
already 600. 900 prisoners in our
hands. In any circumstances Ger
many would be able 10 defend her
own soil. But today Germany is
lighting for her very life. and evc>y
living German knows il and feels it.
The consciousness of right and pure
love of country stand behind German
strength and German training, and
nothing can resist German arms
under such conditions. The German
nation has asked for nothing but Sc
curity for its future.
Suggested Peace Plan.
when Lord Haldane came 10 Ger
many 10 see whether there could not
be a peaceful working arrangement
between Germany and England l told
him that If England and Germany
would get together on sensible and
helpful lines no country in the world
would dare TO attempt TO produce
great war / pointed out 20 him that
with these two great nations joined IN
a friendly way. and with the United
States acting as a friendly neutral.
the peace OF the whole world would be
guaranteed: a general war would be
impossible. But il was not TO be.
With the absolute power Of peace in
her hands. England deliberately took
upon herself the responsibility of pro-
noting and permitting this most dis
astrOus of all wars
The chancellor paused for mo-
ment before he retired from the
room and. raising his hand, he said