The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-23
GERMANY EQUAL
0WAR0R.PEACE
Prince Maximilian Tells Reichs.
tag Next Few Weeks Will
Decide Point.
NO "PEAcE oF VIOLENCE"
Will Be submitted to-People
Will Be q lad 10 Ma
tiou6l Sf1nse,
NO "PEAcE oF VIOLENCE"

t4V4g1 44M30s
Copenhagen. n Peace conver.
sations bstesa krd washing,
ton have reached critical point, &C.
cording to Prince Macmillan, the
German imperial chancellor. speaking
before the reichstag yesterday. In
the course of his address he urged that
debate on the situation arising on the
exchange Of notes b tween himself and
President Wilson be restricted IS much
as possible.
"The whole German people is anxious
to hear the views of the government
regarding the prospects of peace" he
said, but l am able to speak only
with the greatest reserve and urge
that the members Of the reichstag 6
limit debate, as is consistent with the
seriousness of the hour. The whole
German people have been spoken to by
President Wilson and this fact gives
the utterances OF the representatives
of all parties added force.
To-day. therefore, l am going to say
only this regarding the international
situation: The presidents first answer
to the peace move Of the German gov
ernment has in all countries brought
the questions of peace of Justice or
peace of violence to the highest
point he continues. president Will
sons last note did not make clear to
the German people how this public
agitation will end. His next answer
will perhaps bring definite certainty.
Until then we must in all our thoughts
and in our actions prepare for both
eventualties-first that tho. eremy
governments are anxious for war, in
which case there Is no choice E>r us
but to put ourselves in posture Of
defense with all the strength of cur
people driven to the last extremity
Should this necessity arise, | have
no doubt that the German government.
in the name of the German people, ill
issue a call for national defense in the
same way that it spoke for the Ger
man people when it took action for
peace. He who honestly took a stand
on the basis of peace VIII also UNDER
take the duty of not submitting to
peace of violence without fight. The
which would act other
wise would be left to the mercy OF
the fighting and working psoplc. It
would be swept away by public
opinion.
How Future Is Affected.
"There is also another possibility.
The German people must not be blind
|y brought to the conference table.
The German people today has the
right to ask if peace is realized on the
basis of President Wilson's conditions
what htey mean for our future. Our
answers to the presidents questions
must be framed on the German peo-
ple's understanding of that question.
What 1t now wants Is clearness.
"The decision will be of stupendous
import 1t will not be our strength
hat will decide, but 1t will be hat
s thought to be right in free discus
sion with our oponents hat will give
he decision. This Is a great -ort |
'or a proud people accustomed to VIC |
ory. The legal questions involved will |
lot stop at our national boundaries.
which will be never of our own accord |
,pen for violence.
"The principles upon which we have |
lgreed as a rule Of conduct also in
,olve internal questions. From many |
Iuarters 1t has been represented to
ne that an acceptance OF President
Wilson'S conditions would mean sub
nission-anti-G German submission--to ,
n anti German court Of justice which
would decide legal questions entirely
rom the viewpoint of its own inter-
SITS. II that is the case, why then
, It the extreme apostles OF force In
he entente fear the council chamber
s the guilty fear the court Of justice?
Essence Can't Be Achieved.
"The essence Of President Wilson's
rogram for a league Of nations can
OF be achieved when all peoples have
OF the right Of national self determi-
alton. This realization of commun-
v law means the abandonment OF
art of the unqualified Independence
hich hitherto has been the indication
sovereignty, both by us and others. {