Evening star., 1918-06-26
GERMANY DECLINES
FURTHER TO ARGUE
WILSON PRINCIPLES

CONTINUED from Second Page.)
ing II an agreement between Bull
garia and Turkey relieved us OF this
| task"
| Regarding Rumania the foreign sec
retary observed that criticism had
| been evoked because Germany had
| demanded no war indemnity in money
or in the economic domain; Such an
| indemnity was not provided for in
added the secretary. who continued:
Rumania has. however, under the
group Of treaties submitted to you
to render very considerable service
| to Germany even in the way of money.
With a conscientious fulflllment of
obligations, the Rumanian financial po-
sition will be the reverse of brilliant,
and the Rumanian people will be
obligated to make serious efforts in
order to be able to meet these OBJ
many is not concerned is untenable,
for we must render it possible for
the debtor to make payment"
Pays Tribute to Neutrals.
In the course of his address DR.. Won
Kuehlmann paid tribute to the neutral
states which had done everything to
nllllSdlo lne SUFFERING Ol WOuHQeQ
prisoners. and which had Offered. If
need be, the hospitality of their coun-
tries for a discussion between the bel
ligerents."
He added: ANY fears that some
change might occur in the strict OBJ
servance of Spanish neutrality appear
to be at present in no way justified.
In America some small states, under
the ever-increasing pressure of the
United States, have Joined the enemy
ranks. but no substantial changes
in the position have taken place. The
imperial governments policy Is to do
everything that can be done to render
impossible the entry of further neu-
trail states into the ranks of our
enemies"
Cites Military Situation.
Speaking of the military situation,
the secretary said that victories had
given the Germans the initiative in
France, and, he continued, I'VE can
hope that the summer and autumn
will bring to our arms new and
great success.
"The Austro- Hungarian army also
has in a dashing onslaught attacked
the Italian positions and achieved
noteworthy successes and pinned
down large and important enemy
forces on that front.
when one makes a wide survey of
events one must ask whether the
war, according to human calculations,
will last beyond the autumn or the
winter or beyond next year. There
is a common idea among the people
that the length of the war is some
thing absolutely new, as If the au-
thoritative quarters had in our time
never reckoned on very long war
This idea is incorrect"
DR.. Won Kuehlmann quoted Won
NJc1f tn, in h.
stag, said that if war broke out it's
dura ton nd end could not be calculated.
Foes Not Ready for Peace.
Despite the brilliant successes of
our arms" continued the secretary,
there has been nowhere clearly rec
ognizable among our enemies readf-
ment has repeatedly laid down its
standpoint in declarations intended
for the widest publicity. Our enemies
have nothing to show that can in any
degree compare with the German
peace offer, with the resolution of
this house or with the reply to the
papal note.
The declarations of our enemies.
especially of English statesmen, allow
as yet no peaceful ray of light to fall
on the darkness of this war"
Referring. to Mr.. Balfour's speech,
tary said that Germany had unclaimed
the war to achieve world domination,
DR.. Won Kuehlmann said:
Cannot Dominate Europe.
II do not believe that any respon-
sible man in Germany, not even the
kaiser or the members of the imperial
government, ever for moment be-
lieved they could win the domination
in Europe by starting this war. The
idea of world domination in Europe is
a Utopia, as proved by Napoleon. The
nation which tried 1t would, as hap
pened to France, bleed to death in
grievously injured and lowered in
her development. One may here ap-
ply Won Moltke's phrase, Woe to him
who sets Europe aflre.'
"At no moment of our later history
was there less occasion for US to start
confagration than the moment in
which 1t occurred. In a former de-
bate I pointed out that Me absolute
integrity of the German empire and
Its allies formed the necessary pre-
requisite condition for entering into
peace discussion of negotiations.
That is our position today.
England's Reproach.
It rum Lib lduu lllC ISpIOdCh Is COLI
stantly made that we are not pre-
pared on a hint from England to
state our attitude publicly on the
Belgian question. On this point the
fundamental views Of the imperial
government differ from those ascribed
to US by English statesmen. We re-
gard Belgium as one question in the
'enire complex. We must however,
decline to make, as It were, a prior
concession by giving a statement on
the Belgian question which would
bind us without the least binding the
enemy"
Gloom In Reichstag.
There was an utter absence Of en-
thusiasm in the reichstag debate, says
a Berlin dispatch to the Handelsblad.
Foreign Secretary Won Kuehlmann
had hardly begun to speak when 1t
became so dark in the house that the
deputies could hardly be distinguish
ed from the press gallery.
This atmosphere Of gloom, 1t Is add
ed, was symptomatic' of the entire
speech and its reception. especially
the foreign secretary's reference to
the prolongation of the war. Chan
cellor Won Hertling and Vice Chan
cellor Won Payor sat on either side
Of the foreign secretary.
Effect on Stock Exchange.