Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-23
PUSH WAR IF
PEACE FAILS
PRINCE MAX
VIII Fight War of De
Tense: Asks What vii
son Terms Will Mean.

1 Copenhagen. Oct. Peace
4 conversations between Berlin
and Washington have reached
critical point according To
Prince MaNimiliaB. the German
imperial chancellor. speaking
: before the reichStaG yesterday.
In the course Oi his address he
urged that debate on she Situ-
alton arising in exchange OF
notes between him Eli and
President Wilson he restricted
a. much rs possible.
The whole German people IS
anxious 10 hear the views of The
government regarding the pros
poets Of peace" he said, but l am
able to speak only with the great
est reserve and urge tnat the mem
bers of The reichstag limit debate,
as is consistent with the serious
ness Of the hour. The whole Ger
nan people have been spoken to
by President Wilson and this fact
gives the utteraHces of the repre-
sentatives of all parties added
force"
Propose "WaT OF Defense"
To-day, therefore. I am going to
say only this regarding the intern
al situation. The presidents first
answer 10 the peace move OF the
German government has in all
Countries brought the questions o.
peace Of justice or "A peace of vi
cience Of the highest point, he con-
tinued President Wilson's last
Aote did not make clear to the Ger
mon people how this public agita-
ton will end. His next answer will
perhaps bring definite certainty.
Until then we must in all our
thoughts and in our actions pre-
pare for both eventualities- first,
that the enemy governments are
anxious for war, in which case
there is no choice for US but to put
ourselves n a posture of defense
With all the strength Of our people
driven 10 the last extremity.
Should this necessity arise, l
have no doubt that the German
government in the name Of the
German people, will issue q call
for national defense in the same
way that it spoke for the German
people when il took action for
peace. He who honestly took a
stand on the basis of peace will
also undertake the duty Of not sub
hitting TO peace of violence with
out z fight The government which
would act otherwise would be left
tc the mercy of the lighting and
working people. Il would be swept
away by public opinion.
Asks Meaning Wilson's TERMS
There Is also another possibil-
ity. The German people must not
be blindly brought to the confer
ence table. The German people to-
day have the right 10 ask, if peace
IS realized Oh the basis of Presi-
dent Wilson's conditions what they
mean for the future. Our answers
must be framed on the peoples
understanding of that question.
What il now wants is clearness.
The decision will be of stupend-
Gus import It viii not be our
strength that will decided but il
viii be what is thought to be right
Il free discussion with our Oppon-
ents that will give the decision.
This is a great effort with a proud
people accustomed to victory. The
legal questions involved will not
stop al our national boundaries,
which Will be never of our own az
cord open FOR violence.
The principles upon which we
nave agreed as a rule Of conduct
also Involves internal questions.
from manv quarters it has been
hepresentel 10 me thaJ an accept
ance OF President Wilson's condi-
Ions weuld mean submission
shu-GermaT submission - TO an
Shu-Germar court Of justice which
would decide legal questions en-
urely from the viewpoint Of its own
interests T' that is the case. why
men Is IT te extreme apostles Of
iorce in the entente fear the coun-
ui chsmber as the guilty fear the
court Of juz.lce2
End Egoti>m. Germans Told.
The essence Of President Viii
IONS program for a league Of ma
uoas cannor be achieved when all
peoples have not the right of ma
lobal determination. This
realization Of community law
means the abandonment Of part Of
lae unqualified independence
nAich hitherto has been the indi-
eatlon Of sovereignty, both by US
S-Q Others Should We at home
laihtain d fundamental the ma
sonai egotISu which until a short
ne ago was the dominating force
y me peoples life, there would be
/ ~ restitution and no renovation
VI US There would be d feeling
~ bitterness which would cripple
es Tor generations.
bat II W. comprehend that the
sshihcance Of this frightful war is,
sOOFe all, victory for the idea OF
Justice and II we do not resist this
s-s but submit with all good
I'll then we shall find in it a cure
~ our present wounds and a res
9ir OF future strength"
aust Down Heavy Opposition.
rfince Macmillan said that he
,.VaId not deny that heavy Opposi-
~ IN Germany must be con
SSsIed before the ideal league Of