The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-10-23
REFORM NOT
ACTUAL FACT
German People Really Have
Not Come into
Power
is THE INFERENCE
FROM MAMMALIAN
But " Deputies Will Take
Part in the Direction Of
Imperial Policy"

Copenhagen, Oct. 23.-Peace converse
tions between Berlin and Washington
have reached critical point, according
to Prince Maximilian, the German impe-
rial 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 between himself and President
Wilson be restricted as much ais posi-
bic.
"The whole German people is anxious
TO hear the views of the government re-
garding the prospects Of peace he said
'but am able to speak only with the
greatest reserve and urge that the mem
bers OF the Reichstag 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, am going to say
only this regarding the international
TO the peace move Of the German gov
ernment has in all countries brought
the question Of peace of Justice or a
peace Of violence to the highest point,
he continued President Wilson's 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 thought and III our ac-
tions prepare fouboth eventualities first
that the enemy governments are anxious
for war, in which case there Is no choice
for Ms but to put ourselves in a posture
of defense, with all the strength Of our
people driven to the last extremity.
Should this necessity arise, | have
no doubt that the German government
in the name Of the German people, will
issue call for national defense in the
same way that it spoke for the German
people when 1t took action for peace He
who honestly took stand on the basis
of peace also will undertake the duty
Of not submitting to peace of violence
without a fight. The government which
would act otherwise would be left to the
mercy of the fighting and working peo-
pie. It would be swept away by public
opinion.
'There also is another possibility The
German people must be blindly brought
to the conference. The German people
to-day has the right to ask, If peace Is
realized on the basis of President Will
sons conditions. what they mean for our
future, Our answer to the president s
question must be framed on the German
peoples understanding of that question
What 1t now wants is clearness.
"The decision will be of stupendous
import. II will not be our strength that
win decide, but it will be what il
thought to be right in free discussion
with our opponents that viii give the
decision. This is a great effort for a
proud people accustomed to victory The
legal questions involved will not stop
at our national boundaries, which we
will never, of our own accord, open for
violence
"The principles upon which we have
agreed as rule of conduct also involve
internal questions From many quarters
it has been represented to me that an
tions would mean submission-an Ger
man suhmission-to an anti-German
court of Justice which would decide legal
questions entirely from the viewpoint OF
its own interests. If that il the case
why then is 1t the extreme apostles OF
force In the entente fear the council
chamber ais the guilty fear the court OF
justiceH
"The essence Of President Wilson's
program for league Of nations can.
not be achieved when all peoples have
not the right of national self determine
tion. This realization of community law
means the abandonment Of part OF the
unqualified independence which hitherto
has been the indication of sovereignty
both by us and Others Should we at
home maintain as fundamental the ma
tional egojsm which until q short time
ago was The dominating force of the
peoples life, there would be no resti-
tuition and no renovation for us. There
would be q feeling of bitterness which
would cripple us for generations.
"But if we comprehend that the sig
nificance of this frightful war Is, above
all, victory for the idea of justice and
if we do not resist this idea, but sub
init with all good faith. then we shall
gnd in it azure for our present wounds
reservoir Of future strength"
Prince Maximihan said he would not
deny that heavy opposition in Germany
must be conquered before the ideal
league Of nations could be realized, but
he continued:
"Whether the next few days or weeks
shall call us to fight on or open the way
to peace, there is no doubt we are now
equal to the task Of either war or peace
by carrying out the governments pro-
gram and definitely breaking away from
the old system"
The imperial chancellor then discussed
electoral and parliamentary reforms. He
cited bills before the Reichstag, one Of
which enables members Of the house to
enter the government without resigning
fCantin.ned on aiuhfh nara