The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-05-19

or the reichstag and also among the
people. For a month past unparallel-
ed battles have been waging on the
Western front. The entire people,
with all its thoughts and sorrows and
feelings, is with its sons up there, who
with unexampled tenacity and de-
lance Of death. resist the daily renew
ed attacks OF the English and French.
Even today I see no readiness for
peace on the part of England or
France, nothing Of the abandonment
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 terminate this in
sane slaughter of peoples? Were they
in London or in Paris? The most re.
cent utterances which I have heard
from London declare that the war
aims which were announced two years
ago remain unaltered.
1T comes to this: Shall I imme
diately give our Western enemies an
assurance which will enable them to
prolong the war indefinitely without
langer of losses to themselves? Shall
tell these enemies: Come what may,
we shall under all circumstances be
people who renounce; we shall not
touch the hair of your head. But you
who want our lives, you can, without
any risk, continue to try your luck 2
Shall nail down the German en-
pire in all directions by O one sided
formula which only comprises one
part of the total peace condition and
which renounces successes won by the
blood of our sons and brothers and
leaves all other matters in suspense? !?
mo. I will not pursue such pol
Icy. That would be the basest ingrat-
itude towards the heroic deeds of, our
people at tho front and at homo. 1t
would permanently press down the
people, to the smallest worker, in their
entire conditions of life. 1t would be
equivalent to surrendering the future
of our fatheriand.
"Or ought I. conversely, to set forth
a programme OF conquest? / decline
to do that. (Cries from the right
we are not demanding that.") If It
had not been demanded. then We are
Of one opinion.
Il also decline to set forth a pro-
gramme Of conquest We did not go
forth to war. and we stand in battle
now. against almost the whole world
not In order to make conquests, but
exclusively to secure our existence and
20 establish firmly the future of the
nation.
AS regards our eastern neighbor,
Russia. / have already recently
spoken. It.appears as II new Russia
had declined for herself these violent
plans of conquest. Whether Russia
will or can act in the same sense as
her allies, I am unable to estimate.
Doubtless England. with the assist
nnce OF her allies, is employing all
her efforts to keep Russia harnessed
10 England's war chariot and to ira
verse Russian wishes for the speedy
restoration Of the worlds peace.
If. however, Russia wants to pre-
vent further bloodshed and renounces
all violent plans of conquest for her.
self, II she wishes to restore durable
relations OF peaceful life side by side
with us. then surely it Is a matter Of
course that we, as we share this wish,
will not disturb the permanent re-
lationship in the future and will not
render Its development impossible by
demands. which. indeed. do not ac-
cord with the freedom of nations and
would deposit In the Russia nation the
germ OF enmity. (Thunderous ap-
plause).
II doubt not that an agreement
aiming exclusively at q mutual un-
derstanding could be attained, which
excludes every thought of oppression
and which would leave behind no
sting and no discord.
Our military position has never
been so good since the beginning OF
the war. The enemy in the West.
despite his terrible losses, can not
break through. Our u-boats are
operating with increasing success. /
won't use any fine words about them
the deeds OF our u-boat men speak
for themselves. think even the neu-
trails will recognize that.
80 far as compatible with our duty
toward our own people. who come