Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-07
Text of German ChdncelLOr,S
Announcement of Peace Offer

Inc text OF the speech of Prince
Maximilian of Baden, new German I'm.
perial Chancellor, before the Relchs.
Tag saturday. In which he announced
the fact OF his peace appeal to Presi.
dent Wilson, follows:
In accordance with the imperial do.
cree or September 30, the German En-.
pire has undergone a basic alteration
of its political leadership.
AS successor to Count George +.
Won Hertling, whose services i'm behalf
OF the Fatherland deserves the high.
est acknowledgment, have been sum.
moned by the Emperor to lead the
new Government.
In accordance with the govern.
mental method now introduced, | sub.
NIT to the Reichstag. publicly and
without delay, the principles upon
wnlch ] propose TO conduct the grave
responsibilities of the Office.
These principles were firmly cstab
lished by the agreement of the fed.
Grated Governments and the leaders of
,he majority parties in this honorable
mouse before | decided to assume the
duties of chancellor. They contain,
therefore,, not only my own confession
OF pontical faith, but that OF an over.
whelming portion OF the German peo
pies representatives: that is. OF the
German nation which has constituted
the Reichstag on the basis OF a gen.
eral. equal and secret franchise and
according to their will. Only the fact
mat know the conviction and will of
the ma aJority OF the people are back
Oh me mas given me strength to take
upon myself the conduct OF the en-.
pire's affairs In this hard and earnest
time In which we are living,
Plea hs for C,,,-z.A -
One mans shoulders would be too
weak to carry alone the tremendous
responsibility which falls upon the
government at present. Only II the
people take active part in the broad.
est sense of the word I'm deciding their
uestinies; in other words, IL responsi.
oility also extends to the majority of
the freely elected political leaders, can
the leading statesman confidently as.
sumo his part Of the responsibility in
the service OF folk and Fatherland.
MY resolve to do this has been es.
pecially lightened for me by the fact
that prominent leaders Of the laboring
class nave found way in the new
government to the highest Offices Of
the empire. I see therein a sure guar.
antee that the new Government will
be supported by the firm confidence Of
the broad masses OF the people, with.
out whose true support the whole IN.
dertaking would be condemned to fail.
ure IN advance. Hence, what I saw
To-Day ! say IL not only In my own
ame ana those Of my official helpers,
D"' III the name OF the German people.
The program OF the majority par.
tles upon which take my stand con.
,alns' nrst' an acceptance of the an.
swer or the former imperial Govern.
ment to Pope Benedict's note of An.
gust I. 1916. and an unconditIona, 90.
ceptance OF the Reichstag resolution
or July 10. the same year. II further
declares Willingness to Join general
league or nations based on the foun.
dation OF equal rights for all, both
strong and weak.
Ready to Revise Conquest Treaties
IT considers this solution of the
neigian question to lie I'm the com.
p!ete rehabilitation twiedernerstelIune)
oI heIgium. particularly Of its indie
pendence ana territorial integrity. An
Outstanding on the question OF indem.
nifty. "'"'"
The program will not permit the
neace treaties hitherto concluded to
be hindrance to the conclusion of a
general peace
ITS particular aim Is that popuIar
representative bodies shall be formed
on a broad basis in the
Baltic provinces in Lithuania and Po. |
land. We will promote the realization
or necessary preliminary conditions
therefor without delay by the intro. |
duction Of civilian rule. All these
lands shall regulate their constitutions |
nj yot AZ.
peoples without external interference. |
'Tn the matter of international poli |
-cies. l have taken a clear stand |
through the manner in which the for.
nation Of the Government was |
brought in all not purely military |
questions. and hence especially as to |
censorship and fright Of assembIage, |
the attitude of the civilian executive |
authorities shall make itself heard |
and that final decision shall be placed |
under the Chancellor's responsibility.
'TO this end the order Of the EN-.
'eror will be sent to the military com.
randers. With September 30. the day
Df the decree. began a new epoch In
C..rmany's internal history.
THE internal policy whose basic
principles are therein laid down is
VI ueciuins ltlpOItdIlCe OF tne QueS-
lion Of peace or war.
THE striking force which the Gov
arnment has in its strivings for peace
depends on whether il has behind il
The united. firm and unshakable will
IF the people. Only when our enemies
feel that the German people stand
united back OF their chosen leaders,
hen only can words become deeds
AT the peace negotiations the Ger.
nan Government will use its efforts to
he end that the treaties shall contain
provisions concerning the protection
If labor and insurance of laborers,
which provision shall enable the
reaty'making States to institute In
heir respective lands within a pre-
'ented the. note from Baron Burian.
h.. II. l