The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-16

prevail and clears the atmosphere con-
siderably. Indirectly it was a victory
for the Socialists who had demanded
such a statment-
The ChanceIIor's Statements.
The chancellor said in part:
since the winter of 1914-15 l nave
been pressed. now from one side, now
from the other, publicly to state our
war aims. if possible, with detalIs-
Every day they were demanded from
me-
Ion giving liberty for the free dis
cussion of war aims, | mad II ex+
pressIy declared that the government
could not and would not participate
in the conflict of views l also pro-
tested against any positive conclusions
whatever regarding the governments
attitude being drawn from the gov
erument's silence
I now repeat this protest in the
most conclusive form What l was
ever able to say about our war alas
saw here in the reichstag publicly
They were general principles they
could not be more-but they were
clear enough to exclude Identification
such as was attempted with other
nrogran1s. These fundamental lines
have been adhered to up TO today
They found further solemn expression
in the peace offer made co-jolntly
with our allies on December II, 1916
THE sIpposition, which has recent
" arisen, that some differences of
opinion existed on the peace question
between US and our allies belongs 10
the realm OF fable. 1 expressly ar
firm this with certainty 1 am, at the
same time also expressing the con-
viction that the leading statesmen of
the powers which are our allies are
with US.
Il am reproached for being in the
an, Of in
the hands of any party, either the
right or the left am in the hands
of NV people, whom alone have to
serve. and all of whose sons fighting
for the existence of the nation are
firmly ranged round the KAISER. Whom
they trust and who trusts them
THE kaiser's word lives unaltered.
Roesicke. who sets himself forward
as a particular protector of this word.
has received in the kaiser's Easter
message the assurance OF the unal-
tered existence of the kaiser's word
Il trust the reserve which 1 must
exercise-it would be INSCRIPTIONS on
nv part did I not exercise twill
find support from the majority of the
reichstag and also among the people.
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 discussion
Where, then, were the governments
who last winter openly stood up before
the world in order to terminate this
insane slaughter of peoples2 Were
they in London or in Paris2 The most
recent utterauces which I have heard
from London declare that the war
aims which were announced two years
ago remain unaltered.
Even Herr Scheidemann will not
believe that L could meet this declara-
ton with a beau gesto. Does any one
believe, in view of the state of mind
of our western enemies. that they
could be induced to conclude peace by
a program of remuneration?
The Russian Situation.
las regards our eastern neighbor
Russia, I have~aI 'eady spoken. 1t ap-
pears as if new Russia had declined
fo- herself these violent plans of COT
quest. Whether Russia will, or can,
act in the same sense on her allies,
am unable to estimate Doubtless
England, with the assistance of her
allies, is employing all her efforts t.
keep Russia harnessed to JEngland's
war chariot and to traverse Russian
wishes for the speedy restoration of
the worlds peace.
IF. however, Russia wants to pre-
vent further hloodshed and renounce
all violent plans of conquest for her
self, if she wishes to restore durable
relations of peaceful life side by side