The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-07
TEXT OF PEACE SPEECH
OF PRINCE MACMILLAN
BEFORE THE RE|CHSTAG

u0VclOpmeQL Will never De T0IT8CCcu
(applause) and l trust that so long
as Germany's fate is ringed about by
dangers, those sections Of the people
, outside the majority parties and
whose representatives do not belong
to the Government will put aside all
that separates US and will give the
fatherland what Is the fatherland's.
This development necessitates an
alteration CT our constitutions pro-
visions along the lines of the Imperial
decree Of Sept. 30, which shall make
1t possible that those members OF the
reichstag who entered the Govern
ment will retain seats in the reich
stag. A bill to this end has been sub
mitted to the Federal states and will
Immediately be made the object Of
their consideration and decision.
Gentlemen, let us remember the
words spoken by the Emperor on Au-
gust 4. 1914, which l permitted myself
to paraphrase last December at Karl
sruhe:
"'There are, in fact, parties, but
they are all German parties
Political developments in Prussia,
the principal German Federal state,
must proceed in the spirit of these
words of the Emperor, and the mes
sage of the King of Prussia promising
the democratic franchise must me full
filed quickly and completely. Gap
plaus. / do not doubt also that those
federal states which still lag behind
in the devopment of their constitution
conditions will resolutely follow Prus-
sia's example. (Applause.)
"Close Relations Necessary"
For the present, as the example of
all belligerent states demonstrates,
the extraordinary powers which con-
dition of siege compels cannot be dis
pensed with, but close relations be-
tween the military and civilian au-
thorities must be established, which
will make 1t possible that in all not
purely military questions, and hence
especially as to censorship and right
Of assemblage, the attitude of the
civilian executive authorities shall
be place under the Chancellor's re-
sponsibility (Applause)
ITO this end, the order of the EN-
peror will be sen to the military COM
manders. With September 80, the
way Of the decree. began a new epoch
in Germany's internal history The
internal policy whose basic principles
are there laid down is of deciding i'm
portance Of the question Of peace or
war.
"The striking force which the Gov
eminent has in its strivings for peace
depends on whether it has behind it
the united, firm and unsuitable will
of the people. Only when our enemies
feel that the German people stand
united back of their chosen leaders
then only can words become deeds.
(Applause)
"At the peace negotiations the Ger
man Government will use it efforts to
the end that the treaties shall contain
provisions concerning the protection
of laborers which provisions shall
oblige the treaty-making states to in
stitute in their respective lands within
prescribed time minimum of SIM
liar, or at least equally efficient insti-
tutions Off the security of life and
health as for the care of laborers in
the case of illness, accident or inva-
lidism
"FilIed With Sacrifices"
"Of direct importance are the con-
illusions which the Government in
the brief span of it's existence, has
been able to wraw from the situation
in which is finds itself and to apply
practically to the situation More
than four years of bloodiest struggle
against world of numerically supe-
rior enemies are behind us; years full
of the hardest battles and most pain
full sacrifices.
Nevertheless, We Of strong heart
and full of confident faith in our
strength resolved to bear still heavier
sacrifices for our honor and freedom
and for the happiness Of our posterity
If it cannot be otherwise. (Applause.)
1--WE remember with deep and warm
gratitude our brave troops, who, I'M
der splendid leadership, have accom-
plished almost superhuman deeds
throughout the whole war, and whose
past deeds are a sure guarantee that
the fate of us all will also in future
be in good and dependable hands in
their keeping. For months a terrible
and murderous battle has been raging
in the west. Thanks to the incom-
parable herOism of our army, which
will live as an immortal glorious page
in the history of the German people,
for all times, the front is unbroken.
This proud consciousness permits
us to look to the future with con-
fdence. But, just because we are in
spired by this feeling and the convic-
ton that it is also our duty to make