Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-16
GREENEVILLE PASTOR ON
 THE GERMAN SITUATION


 Rev. Charles H. Rieketts Delivered In : terestins Address at Congregational Church.
 At the GreeneviIle Congregational church recently Rev. c. H. Ricl6ett5 de- livered arf interesting address on the German situation. He said in part: am particularly anxious to make one thing clear beyond all question, rel whatever with the rank and file of the German people. We are protesting against the arrogance of the Prussian diet, the clique of war lords who seek to perpetuate in the twentieth century those practices that cursed humanity in the first. Caesar and Kaiser are one in name and principle. The latter rules the Germans as absolutely as the former did the Romans. The German people, whether at home or in this country, are genial, thrifty, prosperous and peace loving. If a referendum in this matter had been submitted to the German people they would have over whelmingly voted it down. The ques- ton at stake in the world today is shall the pierced hand of the Christ which represents love, peace and brotherhood, or the mailed fist of the kaiser which represents military des- potism and hatred-rule the world? While the present is no time for wild and inf1ammatory speech, yet the sea
 son calls for the firm expression of convictions and the assertion of our un- deniable political rights. For this req son I want to call attention to the insulting note that the German gov ernment has sent to the neutral ma tions.
 1. Germany asserts her belief in the principle of self government and the equal rights of all nations. This statement is made in the opening par- agraph. read that statement several
 times and then had to pinch myself to
 learn whether I was asleep and was
 dreaming or awake and in my senses.
 How long has Germany believed in
 the equal rights of all nations"
 Surely she was not crazy about them
 in the early fall of 1914, when she in
 vaded Belgium against indignant pro-
 test, and Belgium was free, sovereign
 state as truly as Germany. In so do-
 ing the German government deliber-
 ately smote international law in the face, making it, in her own language,
 "a mere scrap of paper" The world
 will not soon forget that the German government through its accredited rep resentatives signed that treaty that
 guaranteed equal rights to little Bel gium, and the world applauded the plucky little nation that drained her life blood in defending her rights. Was the German government very solicitous when she not only sent 400, 900 troops through Belgium under protest but captured Belgium cities, drained the Belgium treasury, and now, as the Belgium people, an act that has not been attempted since Europe emerged from barbarian?
 g. The German government claims to be anxious for the liberty of Ireland and India. This is no place to discuss the Irish question, but to say a word about Germany's pity for Ireland and India. It may be that distance lends entertainment to the idea of liberty, for one hardly detects much liberty in the German treatment of Saxony and her puppet king, or in her dealing with Poland. Now the great crime of Eu- rope in the eighteenth century was the partition of Poland. Frederick the Great led off by stealing 13,000 square miles; Astrfa took 27,000 more square miles, and Russia gobbled up all that was left, about 42,999 square miles. In the present conflict German arms have driven the Slav out of Russian Poland and proposes to give the nation liberty. What does this liberty involve?" in- quires ungrateful Poland. Why" says amazed Germany, T will allow you to set up a throne in Russian Poland which never belonged to me; I will put a German prince on the throne; I will keep the part of the nation which the great Frederick stole, and I Wfn see to 1t that Austria does the same" Now this, in fact, is the German con- ception of liberty
 When Won Kluck was ready to make l his panther-like spring at the gold | vaults of Paris, war was declared | against England and France. By that | act it was confidently expected that | Ireland would look upon the moment | as favorable for throwing off the yoke | ,f Great Britain; that India and pos l sib1y the other colonies would assert | their independence. Now what actual l y happened is matter of history. | Ireland said substantially: 'tNo more | Irish question till the present war is | ,ver." India responded by sending her | splendid regiments that acquitted with honor. Australia sent | both battleships and an army. Can Ida, to the astonishment of the world, 'aised and equipped 400. 900 troops, and hose sent gained immortality in the -egion of the Somme. In fact, this war las consolidated the empire as never before. Put into action, the action of he colonies is this: eff forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget Ter cunning"
 5. The German government in the lote claims to repudiate all alliances which involve the nations in a network f intrigue. How long since has the serman government had this spasm f righteousness. One would think hat the kaiser and his clique had been eading Billy Sundays sermons and lad got converted. The Prussian diet ad no scruples about secret intrigues rhen it entered into alliance with snver Bey, the utterly perfidious Tur- ish war minister. As result we find he Turkish army reorganized along 'erman lines, trained according to ierman tactics, and led by German of- cers. The world wants to know why hose awful massacres of innocent Ar lenians were allowed! A reputable eturned missionary is stating before .merican audiences that she saw with CT own eyes 800 helpless Armenian hfldren buried alive. Not for a mo- lent does one think that this hellish