The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-12-15
SPEAKS OF PEACE
GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANSWERS
A SOCIALIST QUESTIeNER
Defines EMPIRES STAND

Defines EMPIRES STAN[
Reichstas Discussion Sent to Thi
Country by Wroless-GerEan!
Ready to Ustea 10 Proposals From
Her Enemies, but Is Not Willing t.
Make Move Towards That End.
Berlin reports by wireless = dis
cussion Of possible peace In tho reich
stag Thursday. It was begun by the
Socialist Interpolation Of DR.. Scheid
mann, Whs asked:
"Is tho imperial chancellor ready
to give Information as to the eondl-
tions under which he would be will
ing to enter Into peace negotia-
tions?"
DR.. Scheidmann protested against
the attitude of those who dream Of
the annexation OF much territory, and
spoke with equal oarnestnszs in de-
nunciatioa Of those enemies Of Ger.
many who advocate disRemberment
of this country. He protested also
| against the crusade In foreign eoun-
tries in opposition to 'fPrussian nili-
tarisa" beeause this conception was
wrong, and rthernere, because It
was q matter which concerned Nc one
but the Gerncns themselves. The
French ,he said, should abandon the
idea of anna1inE Alsace and Lor-
raile.
Although Germany had wen enor-
nous successes with her armies, he
continued, they had been gained at
the price Of heavy sacrifices. Ia view
of tho present situation the question
OF peace was important In all coun-
tries. The difficulty lay In the fact
that statesmen did act know how tc
| begin negotiations, fearing sreh a
| step would be considered 8 proof Of
weakness.
Ia this connection DR.. :. scheid-
mann spoke Of the statement made
recently In the English House OF
| Commons by Baron Courtney that
the British government should show
itself ready to accept any suEges-
tions which would end the war. H..
referred to the attitude Of Italian
| Socialists and to the utterances OF
Count Andrassy, former Hungarian
premier. He asserted that according
to reliable private information thu
longing for peace In France was sen-
eral - ....
DR.. Scheidemann insisted that his
remarks, like those Of Baron Court
ney, could not bo interpreted as a
sign Of lesssning strength, but were
made in view Of the fact that the war
was bringing Europe to the verge OF
ruin.
The: idea that it was. possible to
starve Germany, he continued, should
be abandoned According to tho re-
cent census there were twenty mil
lion swine and 1fty-avs million kilo-
grams Of potatoes in Germany, which
proved there was sufficient food for
all
The words OF Emperor Wilhelm,
that for Germany this was no war OF
conquest, wore recalled by the speak
or. Inssmuch 40 Germany has de-
Tended her frontiers successfully, it
was proper to ask the chancellor for
an expression in regard to conditions
of peace. He declared that Germany
insisted upon being treated a. the
equal Of ether nations and repudiat-
ed the idea that Germany hegemony
was the end In view. The present
moment, he declared, might become
an historic once, since possibly Cor
many nIsht gain tho glory OF having
been tho first to dare to speak OF
peace.
The chancellor replied: "As lons
a. in the countries OF our enemies
the guilt and ignorance Of statesmen
are entangled with confusion Of pub
lie opinion it would be folly for Ger
many to make peace proposals which
would not shorten, but would length
en- the duration Of tho war. First
the masks must be torn from their
faces.
"At present they speak of = war
Of annihlIatioa against rs. We have
to take this f It into account. Theo-
retieally arguments for peace or pro-
posals OF peace will not advance Us,
will not bring the end nearer.
If osr enemies make peace pro-
posals compatible with Germany's
dignity and safety then We shall al
ways be ready to discuss them. Fully
conscious Of our unprecedented mill
tary successes, We decline RESPONSE
bility for the misery which aow 1lls
Europe and the whole world. No one
can say that tho continue the war be-
cause we still desire to conquer this
or that country Al guarantee"
In those words the chancellor with
impassioped voice stated the position
OF the German government on the
question Of peace. His remarks were
cheered with great enthusiasm.
When Dr.. Won Bethmann-Hollweg
rose to reply to the Interpolation
presented by DR.. Scheidmann, Social
ist leader, silence fell over tho house,
but was soon broken by manifesto
tions Of approval. Several times the
deputies and galleries interrupted
him with cheers.
DR.. Won Bethmann-Hollweg began
by saying that in the countries at
war with Germany there had been
much discussion Of the Socialist in
terpellation, and that the knowledge
that peace was to be discussed in the
reichstas had been a source Of salts
faction to these countries.
This was incomprehensible, in view
OF the success won in the campaign
against Serbia, which opened the road
to Germeny's Turkish allies and
threatened the most vulnerable point
Of the British Empire.
Although this situation would e1-
plain a desire for peace on the part
OF Germany's enemies, he declared,
mono Of them had made oYertures.
Instead, they were clinging to the in