The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-04

DICSJ-LllONoh, dIlu u6SOlldIlOIlS tinued.
 The negotiations are progressing slowly; they are exceedingly difficulr. have already referred, on a previous occasion, to the exact circumstances from which these difficulties arise Indeed, many times there were reas- ons to doubt whether the Ru.3!an delegation was in earnest with their peace negotiations, and all sorts Of wireless messages which are going n around the world with remarkably strange contents, tended to strengthen this doubt. Nevertheless, hold firm ly to the hope that we shall come to favorable conclusion in the near fu- ture with the Russian delegation at Brest-Litovsk.
 Our negotiations with the repre- sentatives of Ukrainia stand favor ably. Here also there still are some difficulties to be overcome, but the prospects, as I regard them, are fla -vorable. We hope in the near future to arrive at a. settlement with Ukrain- ia which will be to the interest of both sides, and which should also be ad- vantageous as far as their economic aspect is concerned.
 One result could already be record ed on Jan. 4 at 10 D. m. As you all know, the Russian delegation, at the end of December, made the proposal to send an invitation to all the par ticipators in the war, asking them to take part in the negotiations As 2 basis for this, the Russian delegation submitted certain proposals of a very 7 general character.
 Entente Remains Out
 We at the time agreed to the pro- posal for inviting participators in the war to the negotiations, with the con- dition, however, that this invitation should be limited to a clearly-defiEed period. On Jan. A. at 10 D. m., this period expired. No answer had been received. The result is that we are bound no longer in any way, so far as the Entente is concerned. We have a clear road in front of us for separ- arate negotiations with Russia, and also, obviously, we are no longer bound in any way. as far as the En- tente is concerned, to the proposals for a general peace which have been submitted by the Russian delegation. Instead of the ten anticipated re- plies, which failed to come, two an- I:ouncements have, as we all know. been made in the meantime by enemy statesmen the speech by MT. DlCyd George of Jan. 5, and the message of President Wilson of the day after. 1 freely admit that MT. Lloyd George has changed his tone. He no longer uses abuse and thus appears to wish again to establish his claim to II, go- >tiating abilities of which I previous Iy,- despaired. All the same, I cannot go ac, far as the many opinions from neutral countries, which claim to read in the speech of MT. Lloyd George Q sincere desire for peace, and even a friendly spirit.
 It is true that he declares he does not wish to destroy ,Iermany, and that he has never wanted to destroy her. He even finds expressions of re- spect for our economic, political and cultural position, but amongst them there is no lack of other utterances and between the lines there is always present that it is his duty to sit ir judgment on guilty Germany for all sorts of crimes. This is the spirit with which, naturally, we can have nothing to do, and in which as yet we car observe no trace of d sincere desire for peace. We are supposed to he culprits over whom the Entente is now sitting in judgment. That forces me ta pass in review the conditions and incidents which preceded the war, even at the risk of once agair repeating what has long since beer known.
 BisInarcl<'s Work
 The establishment of the German Egapire in the year 1871 put an enc to the old state of dismemberment by uniting it's peoples in the German Empire-in short, they attained tha position which corresponded witl their economic and cultural achieve ments and the claims founded there on. Prince Bismarck crowned hi life's work by the alliance with Aus tria. It was a purely defensive ali ance, and was from the very first da. regarded and desired as such by tn high contracting parties. In tn course of decades never has tn slightest thought of it's misuse for az gressive purposes cropped up. Tn defensive alliance between German, and the closely allied Danube mon rchy, united with us by the tradition of centuries and common interests should especially serve to maintain  peace.
 But Prince Bismarck was often re preached with being haunted by tn nightmare of coalitions, and tn events of the times that followed hay \ shown that it was not mere terrify ing phantom. The danger of chem coalitions which threatened the allie Central Powers often made an ap pearance. The dream of coalition became a reality owing to the hem ming-in policy of King Edward Tn German Empire, struggling upward and increasing in strength, stood i the way of English Imperialism. Thi British Imperialism only too readil found support in the French longin for revenge, and in the Russian strne gle for expansion. And so plans fo tha future dsveloDed whish were SaP V