Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-16
CHANCELLOR
DECLINES

Continued from Page One)
statesmen Of the powers which are our
allies are with US.
II thoroughly and fully understood the
passionate interest CT the people in the
war aims and peace conditions. ! under
stand the call for clearness which today
is addressed to me from the right and
left. But in the discussion Of our war
early and satisfactory conclusion of the
war Beyond that cannot do or say any
thing.
Pressure Useless
'.If the general situation forces me to
reserve, as is the case, 1 shall keep this
reserve and no pressure will force me
from my path. l shall not allow myself
to be led astray by utterances with which
Scheidnann, at time when drum fire
sounds on the Aisne. and at Arras believ-
ed he could spread among the people the
possibility of revolution. The German
people will be with me in condemning
such utterances and also Roescke's at
tempt to represent me as being under the
influence of the Social Democrats.
~ am reproached for being in the hands
of one party, but I am not in the hands
of any party. either the Right or Left. I
am glad l can state that definitely. If
l am in the hands of anyone 1 am in the
hands of my people, whom alone l 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
word Of August lives unaltered Roescke.
who sets himself forward as particular
protection of this word. has received IN
the Kaisers Easter message the assur-
ance of the unaltered existence of the
Kaiser's word.
Il trust that the reserve which l
must eXercise-it would be unscrupu-
lous on my part did l not exercise 1t
will find support from the majority OIL
the Reichstag and also amongst the
people For a month past unparalleled
battles have been waging on the west
front The entire people, with all IT'S
thoughts and sorrows and feelings, is
with its sons up there, who, with I'M
exampled tenacity and defiance OF
death resist the daily renewed attacks
Of the English and French.
The Entente Aims
Gwen today / 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 or
DER to terminate this insane slaughter
of peoples? Were they in London or in
Paris? The most recent utterances
which I have heard from London de-
clare that the war aims which were
announced two years ago remain UNI
altered.
Even Herr Scheidmann will not be-
lieve that I could meet this declaration
with beau geste. Does anyone be-
our western enemies that they could
be induced to conclude peace by a
program CT remuneration?
''It comes to this: Shall I immedi-
ately give our western enemies an as
surance which will enable them to
prolon" the war indefinitely without
danger Of loses to themselves? Shall I
tell these enemiest 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 risks, continue to try your luck p
Shall l nail down the German en-
pire in all directions by a one-sided
formula which only comprises one
part of the total peace conditions and
which renounces successes won by tho
blood of our sons and brothers and
leaves all other matters in suspense?
NO. l will not pursue such n pol
icy. That would be the basest ingrat-
itude toward the heroic deeds OF our
people at the front and at home. I
would permanently press down our
people, to the smallest worker in their
entire conditions of life. 1t would be
equivalent to surrendering the future
Of the fatherland.
Program of Conquest?
"Or ought l conversely to set forth a
program of conquest l decline to do that
(cries from the Right I'VE are not de-
manding that'). If it has not been de-
decline to set forth a program of con-
quest. 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 assure our
existence and to establish firmly the flu
ture of the nation. A proclamation of
conquest helps as little as a program of
reconciliation to win victory and the
war.
ION the contrary. I should thereby
merely play the game of hostile rulers
and make it easier for them further to
leiude their war-weary peoples into pro-
longing the war UNNECESSARILY. That too.
would be base ingratitude towards our
warriors near Arras and the Aisne.
Offer to Russia
LAS regarding our eastern neighbor.
Russia, have already recently spoken. 1t
appears as if the new Russia had declined
for herself these violent plans of con-
quest. Whether Russia will, or can act
in the same sense of her allies, I am I'M
able to estimate. Doubtless England,
with the assistance of her allies iS en-