New-York tribune., 1918-01-26


,;vitation to all the belligerents to
participate in the negotiations. Russia
Submitted certain proposals of a very
yeneral character. At that time we
accepted the proposal to invite the bel
.igefents to take part in the ncgotia-
.lons. on the condition. however, that
.he invitation should have definite
.seriod for its acceptance.
Free Hand for Separate Peace
"At 10 o'clock on the evening Of
January 4 the period expired. No an
sWcr had come, and as a result we
were no longec under obligations, and
;iad free hand for separate peace ne
Sotiations with Russia. Neither were
we longer bound, of course, by the gem
tral peace proposals submitted to us
ay the ~ussian delegation.
"lnstc..~ of the reply which was ex-
pected, but which was not forthcom-
lng," Chancellor Won Hertling con-
,inued. "two declarations were mace by
enemy statesmen-Premier Lloyd
Georges speech and Pres dent Wilson's
speech. willingly admit that Mr..
Lloyd George altered his tone. He no
longer INDUCES in abuse, and appears
deslrous of again demonstrating his
ability as a negotiator, which ! had
formerly doubted.
II cannot go so far. however, as
many opinions which have been ex-
pressed in neutral countries, which
would read in this speech of Mr. Lloyd
even friendly disposition. 1t is true
lie declares he does not desire to de-
stroy Germany, and never desired to
destroy her. He has even words of re-
spect for our political, economic and
cultural position But other utter
ances also are not lacking, and the idea
continually comes to the surface that
lie has to pronounce judgment on Ger
many. charging her with being guilty
Of all possible crimes.
Sees No Purpose to Attain Peace
That is an attitude with which We
can have nothing to do and in which
ve can discover no trace Of a serious
purpose to attain peace. We are to be
the guilty ones, over whom the En-
tentc is now sitting in Judgment. That
compels me to give q short review Of
the situation and the events preceding
INC war, at the risk of repeating what
long ago was said.
The establishment Of the German
Empire in the year 1871 made an end
ef dl:s.memberment. BY the union of
ITS tribes the German Empire in Europe
acquired a position corresponding to
It's economic and cultural ACHIEVEMENTS
and the claims founded thereon. Bis
marck crowned his work by the alliance
with Austria-H Hungary. 1t was purely
defensive alliance. so conceived and
wIlled by the exalted allies from the
first. Not even the slightest thought
OF Its misuse for aggressive aims ever
occurred in the course of decades The
defensive alliance between Germany
y ~ RI ho n.,t, ,t,n ~, ~
nected by old traditions and allied to
us by common interest, was to serve
especially for maintenance Of peace
But Bismarck had even then. as he
was often reproached for having, an
obsession in regard to coalitions. and
events of subsequent time have shown
1T was no vision Of terror. The danger
of hostile coalitions which menaced the
allied Central Powers often made it's
appearance. BY King Edwards isola-
tion policy the dream of coalitions be-
came a reality.
British I'm, crialism
"The German Empire, progressing
and growing in strength, stood in the
way of British imperialism. In French
lust Of revenge and Russian aspirations
OF expansion this British imperialism
found only too ready aid. Thus future
plans, dangerous for us, were formed.
"lhe geographical situation of Ger
many IN itself had always brought near
to Us the danger of war on two fronts,
aud now il became increasingly visible.
Between Russia and France an alliance
was concluded whose participants were
~" ice as numerous as the population OF
tho German Empire and Austria- Hun
cary. Republican France lent the Rus
sia Of the Car billions to construct
stratcgical railways in the Kingdom OF
Poland in order to facilitate an advance
against US. The French republic drew
on it's last man for three years of ser
vice. Thus France. with Russia. built
IN armamcnts extending to the limit
of the capabilities Of both, thereby pur-
suing aims which our enemies now
term imperialistic.
1T would have been a neglect OF
duty had Germany remained calm
spectator of this game and had We not
also endcavored TO Greats an armament
which would protect us against future
enemies. | may, perhaps. recall that
as member Of the Rcichstag very fro
nuently spoke on these matters and, on
tho occasion of new expenditure on
armamcnts pointed out that the Ger
man people, in consenting to these.
solely desired to r-rsue a policy of
peace and that such armaments were
only imposed upon us TO ward of the
danger threatening from q possible
enemy. 1t doesn't appear that any re-
gard was paid to these words abroad.
Alsace-Lorraine
And Alsace Lorraine, OF which
Lloyd George speaks again? He speaks
OF the wrong Germany did in 1871 to
France. Alsace Lorraine need not
be told, but abroad they appear still
to be ignorant of things -Alsacc-
Lorraine comprises. as is known. for
tho most part purely German regions
which by centuryiong campaign of
violence and illegality were severed
from the German Empire until final
~ IN 1879 the French Revolution
swallowed up the last remnant. Alsace
and Lorraine then became French prov
inceS
NV hen IN the war 1870 we demanded
back the districts which had been Grim
inally wrested from US, that was not
a conquest of foreign territory. but
rightly and properly speaking what
to-day is called disannexation. and this
dlsannexation was then expressly rec
ognlzed by the French National AS
sembly. the constitutional representa-
tves of the French people at that time
MARCIA 80. 1871, by a large majority Of
votes
"And in England, too, gentlemen. lam
Suagc quite other than Is heard to-day
mas peen heard. can appeal to
classic witness. 1t was none other than
the famous British historian and au1
thor Thomas Carlyle, who in a let
ter to .'Tho Vip,ao, -,