The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-08-20
GERMAN OFFICIAL
RETRACES WAR

BERLIN. Aug. 10. Cby wireless 10
iSayville) DR. Won Bethmann-Hollwe
the German imperial chancellor. in a
speech today at the opening of the
| Reichstag after recess since May
/ 30. retrsced the history of the Euro
I pean events leading up TO the present
war
He unveiled what he said we're at.
tempts by the enemies OF Germany to
conceal the whole truth from the ma
tons at large and from their own
people. This. he said. was proved by
the incOmpleteness OF the information
given by the diplomatists Of the en-
tente allied countries 10 their own
parliaments. and he said IL showed that
! up TO the present the complete truth
was hidden and forbidden in the en-
tente allied countries. The chancellor
added:
Il never have concealed anything
from the representative OF the Ger
man nation. 1 never had anything TO
conceal"
The chancellor arraigned what he
declared was the English pretense that
Great Britain was fighting in the in
terests of small neutral countries The
legitimate commerce of neutral coun
tries he said. has been strangled by
England who forbids neutrals 10 trans
port merchandise coming from or go
ing to Germany. even II the merchan
disc Is not contraband. Neutral ships
are forced to take English crews on
board on the high seas and do as they
command. England occupied Greek
islands without explanation. because
this is convenient for the liberty OF
o 4.
I her allies. She tries. together with
her allies. to force neutral Greece to
concede territory to Bulgaria because
I thus she desires to engage the latter
nation 10 her side.
In Poland. Russia. hghting together
with her allies for the liberty OF nations
destroys before the retreat Of her
armies the whole country evacuated
burns villages. despoils harvests. ex-
pels the entire population Of villages
and cities. Christians and Jews alike.
turning them into desert countries
and lets them perish in the dirt OF
I Russian roads or In tightly closed
railroad cars without windows.
This Is the liberty. this Is the
civilization for which our enemies are
| lighting"
nv HAAnAANfAAhA FAANAAANN nNFM al NlAN
cases where he found that England
had violated the rights Of small ma
lions. citing the BOer republics. Egypt
and Persia This. he said. was the
same England which in 1914 declined
a German guarantee OF Belgian integ.
| rity In case Of Englands neutrality.
replying that she could not traffic IN
Belgian neutrality. The chancellor
summed up this phase of his speech IN
these words.
"A country whose policy was and
is such. has no right TO accuse Of war
lust' War-lusf or barbirism or or a
desire for conquest a country that
protected European peace for a. years
q country that only lived for peace.
fol evolution while others went 10
war and conquered other countries.
a country that now. menaced By nalf
Of the world. nFhfs for lts own life
Suchn an accusation De- hypocrisy
Commenting ON the recently publish.
Cd documents declared ~ be- secret
reports OF Belgian diplomats. the
chancellor declared today they proved
That Germany had been attacked 90.
Tor long and careful preparation by
others for war
The chancellor then recounted Ger.
many'a ondeavors to maintain friendly
relations with Russia. which ho said
were frustrated by ran.S.aylsts and
French Dy1nrhe politicians be- 10.
called that af tho end of July. 1919.
Germany was not simply opposed to
The British suggestion for an inter.
nation conference. but that she sub.
rututod succession Tor qu.rter