The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-04-08
BRITAIN PUTS NO
FAITH IN GERMAN
PROMISES
Lord Cecil Answers Fei'hstag
Speech Of Imperial Chancellor
Responsibility NOT ENGlsRD'S
Declares No Utterance of Bethmann-
HollWeg Can Form the Basis of
Peace Negotiations

London, April S.-Lord Robert Cecil,
British minister of war trade, made
sharp reply last night to the speech
in the Reichtag OF DR.. Won Bethmann'
Hollweg, the German imperial chan
cellor. Convetsing with American
correspondents on behalf of the for
eign office. Lord Robert said the sug-
gestion that Germany might aban-
don her submarine warfare if Great
Britain relaxed her food blockade was
hardly likely to be entertained by
Great Britain, which had no faith that
any promise made by Germany regard
ing submarine warfare would be kept
Germany slackened her submarine
warfare for some time when the oper
ations Of the British navy deprived her
of the necessary number OF subma
rines," said Lord Robert, but has now
begun ii again. / am convinced that
Germany cannot be trusted to keep
any promise
Reviewing the address of DR.. Won
Bethmann-H Hollweg, Lord Robert said
"The chancellor's speech covers much
OF old ground. As usual, he claims
that the allies have no legal right tc
blockade Germany and appears tc
think the neutrals are Of the same
opinion. Yet among all the neutral
governments who have protested
against our action none has been
found to argue that the blockade is ir
itself illegal precisely in the proper
ton in which il is effective. That is
Germanys contention. Germany has
openly proclaimed her intention OF
blockading this country, and has done
her best to do so. We presume her
action is justified because 1t is inef.
iective."
Referring to Dr. Won Bethmann
HoIlweg's statement that Great
Britain alone is responsible for the
continuation of the war and that he
made proposals last September tt
which he had received no reply, Lord
Robert said: 1T may be we'll to make
a clear answer 10 this. By singing
out separate powers among the allies
the chancellor endeavors to SOW mis-
chief and distrust among them. but he
has failed The allies stand together
and have pledged themselves to make
peace in common. The chancellor
knows this well. He knows. too, and
the people OF Germany who he de-
ludes should know, that nothing il
any public speech he makes can ever
form the basis of peace oyertures.
These periodical speeches in the
Reichstag are cunning blends of bonn
bast and peaceful protestations
Through them all runs the deliberate
| design to nourish German hatred o.
England above all her allies and
bolster the fiction that the German
government are fighting defensive
war. and to forestall and prevent that
which the German government most
fears-a popular demand in Germany
for peace Never can the allies dignity
this attitude by taking 1t as an over
| ture. The chancellor made his so
| called proposals last year solely that
he might be able to refer to them
yirtuously today
Lord Robert recalled DR.. Won Beth
| mann-Hollweg' words of December
8, None of our enemies has ap
preached with peace proposals ant
they believe it to be in their interest
falsely to attribute peace proposals tC
us" and the chancelor's statement
that if he was to speak of peace con
| ditious he must first see the condi
tions Of Germanys enemies.
ut is clear Lord Robert continued
that the Germans themselves did no
make any proposals in spite OF wha
the chancellor now pretends. Even i
he were sincere. and in the precis,
proportion as we believe him sincere
we reject with indignation and con
tempt the basis of peace he offers.