Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-18
GERMANY WILL CONTEND
FOR FREE SEA IN FUTURE
VIII Never Relinquish Belgium Until
Guaranteed Access to
All Ports.
LETTER FROM DIR. DERNBUR0
Also Urges Joint Ownership Of Gables
and World Mail System-Regarti-
cd as Kniser's Demands for
Peace.
Especial to Tho T4mes-Dispatch.l ]

Especial to The Times Dis pRtch.1
PORTLAND, ME-. April l7.-Ger-
many will never rclinauish Belgium
until she Is guaranteed n free sea and
free access to all Belgian ports. So
declared DR.. Bernhard Dcrnburg, form
er Colonial Secretary OF the German
empire. In letter read Mt a mass
meeting hero tonight.
The letter. apparently inspired. puts
forth what may be taken as Germany's
demands in order that peace may be
restored.
DR.. DernburE also urges Joint owner
ship OF cables and world mail system.
as logical outErowths OF FREQ sea.
He goes SO far as TO recommend tho
naturalization OF the waters of the
seven seas and tho narrows thereof.
His letter reads:
Il can with full authority disclaim
any ambition for my country for world
dominion. She is much too modest on
the one hand, and too experienced, on
the other. not 10 know that such q
state Will never be tolerated by the
rest Tho aim OF Germany Is TO have
the seas as we'll as the narrows kept
permanently open for the free use OF
all nations. In limos OF war as we'll as
in times OF peace. I personally would
even so as far as to neutralize all
tho seas and narrows permanently by
common and effective agreement,
guaranteed by all the powers.
"A free sea Is useless, except com
oined with freedom OF cable and mail
communication. I should like to SEQ
all the cables Jointly owned by the
interested nations, and world mall
tan
mon consent.
The only alternative TO m open
sea and free intercourse policy would
he n Chinese wall around each ooun-
try. If there Is no free intercourse.
hciert Germany has proved that It
can be done. But this policy would
mean very high customs barriers. dis
elimination. unbounded egotism and "A
world bristl!ng In arms
Germany docs not strive for terri
torial ACKNOWLEDGMENT In Europe: She
does not believe In conquerinr ard
suoJusatinG unwilling nations Bel
Sium commands the main outlet Of
western German trade, is the natural
iorelhnd OF the empire, and has been
conquered with untold sacrifice OF
blood and treasure. II offers to Ger
man trade the only outlet To an opcn
sea- and has been politically estab-
iished, maintained and defended by
England III order 10 keep these natural
advantages from Germany
The love for small peoples that
England heralds now will never stand
investigation, AS shown by the destruc-
ton of the small Boer republics.
so Belgium cannot be given nm
however. these considerations could h.
olsrcSardcd If all the other German
"ei'ahdS, especially guaranteed free
sea- We're fully complied with. and tbc
''a'ufai commercial relations OF Bel
gum to Germany were considered in
just and workable form. In this
case Germany Will not fail when the
'''ne comes TO help rebuild the coun-
Try In fact. she is doing so nov
permanent peace Will mean that
German activity must rc, a wild. soon.
"ithout infringement upon the rights
of others"