Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-03-30
Won HOLLWEG and WAR A PLEASING RECEPTION
German Endeavors to Place Blame on
United States if Latter Enters the
Conflict.

Berlin. March 30 If war comes
between the United States and Ger
many the blame will not be Germany's
This was the burden of a state
ment made in the Reichstag today by
the imperial chancellor, DR.. Won
Bethmann- Hollweg, in the course
of lengthy speech on the interna-
tional situation, dealing chiefly with
Germany's relations with the United
States, and with Russia.
There was nothing conciliatory in
his remarks regarding America; i;
nothing which in any way could be
interpreted as the remotest "feel-
er" for modification, arbitration or
mediation.
A notable feature of his statement
was that he spoke invariably Of the
',American Government" or the
Government of the United States" :"
He asserted that Germany never
did, nor does now, desire war with
America, and that she never had
nor has now the slightest inten-
ton to attack the United States
He reiterated that unrestricted u
boat warfare was forced upon Ger
many by the British blockade. He
pointed out, using the English
words, that President Wilson and
Secretary of State Lansing them
selves had called the British blockade
'illega and indefensible," Germany,
he said, waited eight months for the
United States to make England OBJ
serve the laws of humanity and inter-
national agreements.
Then. he continued, "we took un-
restricted submarine warfare into our
own hands. Then we had to do so for
our own defense.
With regard to Russia, the chan
cellor told the Reichstag that Ger
many does not propose to lend her
assistance to any movement that
might exist to bring Czardom back to
power.
Nicholas Romanoff, he said, had
brought upon himself his own down.
fall. He might have averted it, said
DR.. Won Bethmam-Hollweg, had he
needed the advice Of Emperor Will
lam, to devote himself to the inter-
nal reforms so eagerly clamored for
by the Russian people. Instead of
taking this advice, the chancellor said,
the former Gar insisted upon his
program of external expansion, Inc
speaker added that this Russian
creed for land was what caused the
European war.
Washington, March 30-Only the
cessation of Germany's ruthless
campaign of death and destruction
against American shipping can al
ter the course which President VIII
son and his advisers have laid down
for the United States.
This was the determination OF the
administration last night. following
Il
tn ereceipt in Washington of Chan
cellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg's dis
cussion of the German-Amerlcan
crisis before the German Reichstag,
The German chancellor, while he
declared that Germany has never
desired and does not now desire war
with the United States, made no an
nouncement as to any change in
Germanys campaign of devastation
at sea.
|. His statement that if the United
Estates considers the submarine
campaign a cause for declaration
of war, Germany will not "have to
bear the burden of responsibility tor
| it.H and that the German nation
"shall also bear and overcome this,
was accepted in Washington IS
voicing Germany's determination te
maintain the war against American
shipping, in the face of the obvious
preparations of the United States
for impending war.