The weekly soliphone., 1917-05-17
RUSSIAN PROVISIONAL HEADS DECLINE TO PERMIT FOREIGN
 POLICIES TO BE WHITFIELD ON

also Roesicke's attempt to repre- ,,.sent me as being under the influ- ence of the social democrats. 'I am reproached for being in the hands of one party, but l am not in the hands of any party, either the right or the left. l am , glad I can state that definitely. If am in the hands of anyone, l am 1 ill the hands of my people, whom alone l have to serve, and all of whose sons, fighting for the exist ence of the nation, are firmly rang ed round the kaiser, whom they trust and who trusts them. The lkaiser's word of August lives un- altered. Roesicke, who sets him self forward as a particular pro tector of this sword has received in l the kaiser's Easter message the as- surance of the unaltered existence of the kaiser's word.
 "I trust that the reserve which l must exercise-it would be unscru- pulous on my part did l not exer~ else twill find support from the majority of the reiehstag and also amongst the people, For month past unparalleled battles have been waging on the west front. The en- tire people, with all it's thoughts and sorrows and feelings is with it's sons up there, who, with unex- ampled tenacity and defiance of death, resist the daily renewal at tacks of the English and French
 "Even today l see no readiness for peace on the part of England or France nothing of the aljan- donment of their excessive aims of conquest and economic destruction Where, then, were the governments who last winter openly stood up before the world in order to termi- nate this insane slaughter of peo- |ples? Were they in London or Tn Paris? The most recent -utterances | 1 declare that the war aims which were announced two years ago re- main unaltered.
 Even Herr Scheidemann will not believe that l could meet this dec laration with a beau geste. Does anyone believe, ill view. of the state of mind of our western enemies, that they could be induced to conclude peace by a program of re- nunciation?
 "It comes to this; Shall l imme- assurance which will enable them to prolong the war indefinitely without danger of losses to them selves? Shall tell these enemies, Come what may, we shall under all circumstances be people who re- nounce; we shall not touch the hair of yo1r head. But you who want our lives, you can, without any risks, continue to try your luck.
 Shall l nail down the German empire in all directions on one sided formula which only comprises one part of the total peace condi- tionS and which renounce successes won by the blood of our sons and brothers and leaves all other mat ters in suspense?
 "No. I will not pursue such policy. That would be the basest ingratitude toward the heroic deeds of our people at the front and at home. It would permanently press down our people, to the smallest workers ill their entire conditions of life. It would be equivalent to surrendering the future of the faith crland.
 GOT ought 1, conversely, to set forth a program of conquest? 1 de- cline to do that. (Cries from the right, We are not demanding tha). If it has not been demand ed, then we are of one opinion. | '1 also decline to set forth a pIUSIdIu Ol COHuueSl. we ul0 go forth to war, and we stand in bat tie now against almost the whole world, not in order to make con quests, but exclusively to secure our existence and to establish firm | ly the future of the nation. A program of conquest helps little as program of reconciliation to win victory and the war.
 "On the contrary, l should there by merely play the game of the hostile rulers and make it easier for them further to delude their war weary peoples into prolonging the war immeasurably. This, too, would be base ingratitude toward our warriors near Arras and the Aisne.
 OFFERS PEACE TO RUSSIA.
 AS regards our eastern neigh Dor, Russia, l have already recent