The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-05-18

Amsterdam, Via London, May 49,
The NEWS Van Den Tag says that
Chancellor Won Bethmann Hollweg's
speech strengthened his enemies
hands and must be considered equiv
alent to an admission of defeat.
Amsterdam. Holland, May Let
is becoming very plain that Ger
man officialdom does not propose to
take any chances of being over
Whelmed by the rising tide of demo-
cratic spirit in Germany. Speeches
indicating much discomfort among
various elements of the German
population with the present auto
cratic government of that country
were made yesterday by socialist
members of the reichstag.
Chancellor Won Bethmann Holl-
wegs refusal to answer the reich
stays demand for information as to
the peace terms of Germany pro-
duced many angry remarks on the
part of socialist members. The
chancellor is very clearly supporting
the junkerites. The German govern
ment is announced to have been
greatly strengthening the military
guards in Berlin and other large
centers Of population, where pos
sible outbreaks against the govern
ment are feared.
Berlin, May 16.-In a momentous
session of the reichstag, in which
Chancellor won Bethmann-H ollweg, re.
plying to interpretations, refused to
enter discussion of Germany's peace
aims, Herr George Ledebour, Inde.
pendent Socialist, declared republic
soon must be established in Germany
and that his party will propose con.
stitutional committee to take prepare
tory steps in that direction.
He was supported in part by Herr
Philip Scheidemann, Socialist-Demo
cratic leader, who intimated if Eng.
land and France renounce the idea OF
annexation and Germany insists on an.
nexing territory there will be revolu.
ton in Germany.
This resulted in indignant repudi.,
alton by large section of the house
and Herr 'Scheidemann fastened to
add it has not gone SO far as that yet.
The address of Chancellor Won Beth.
mann-Hollweg was one of the most
vigorous and plain spoken he has
made before the reichstag since the
outbreak of the war.
He was blunt in his refusal to dis.
cuss the peace aims as demanded in
the interpretations by Socialists and
Conservatives.
Peace Talk Is Premature.
He asserted these interpretations
call for the governments specific
peace program, the announcement of
which would, at the present, not only
be premature, but which it would be
. difficult to formulate and also of no
practical service to the nation in the
present situation.
. While appreciating the passionate
desire of all classes to know the gov.
ernment's views the chancellor plain
ly declared he would not permit him
self to be swayed by pressure from
any source and he is not under the
spell of any party or clique.
The best interests of the nation, he,
believed, demand the reticence hee
has imposed on himself in the face oil
continuous clamor since December,
1915, should be observed by him until
the moment is ripe.
He was sure such course would
be endorsed by the nation at large,
which continued to rally around its
emperor, and would also meet the
views of a majority in the reichstag.
These interpretations demand from
me a definite statement on the ques-
ton of our war aimi," the chancellor
said. ITO make such a statement at
the present moment would not seryel
the country's interest. must, there.
fore, decline to make it."