Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-25
.REICHSTAG WILL Be
MADE RESPONSIBLE
FOR WAR, MAX SAYS

Wg
efforts towards peace and electoral ana
governmental reform, according TO dis
patches from Berlin today.
COPENHAGEN, oct. 2S.---Announce-
ment was made by Prince MaMmlllan'
the German chancellor. Of a bill making
peace, the measure TO become effective
when the project for a league of nations
should become operative.
The chancellor declared 1t was the aim
OF himself anu his colleagues 10 estaD-
! fish the political authority OF The Ger
man people. After saying that he wei
! coined expressions OF opinion and That
he and hlS colleagues were agreed as 10
methods anu purposes, ne aOdeu:
Our aim Is the political authority OF
the German people. rms as the suluihS
I star OF my co!IaDorators and myself
The chancellor said individual mem
( berS Of the government at nrSt had diff
IerenL sLanupOIuts, bat now mad. been
brought nearer together,
The German people has long been in
{ the saddle" ne saiu. Now 1t is 10 ride"
our trsC and last thought, the chan
ce4iOr continued, is Tor the brave men
who are defending themselves against
superior forces and whom We must de-
lend against unjust charges. NO one
must think ne can attack our army
! without also attacking the honor OF cur
people.
Soldiers Lot Is Hard
Tine IoI o. our soIuIers tUuay is terri
by hard Ihey ngnt with anxiety.
'lney ngnt wltn anxiety Tor the
hOnlSIdAd s.nu Win IneIt minus nAed on
peace, ana they hold their ground
Inc extraordinary wartime measures,
The chancellor explained, could not yet
be dispensed WIN, DuJ they could DC
| carried out only by Inc nceIlor, vino
would be Responsible to The TeIcHstas
4Or lneIr application.
HIS maJeSlys uccreGS which L an
uOuHced recenely, now nave been is
sued" lac went GA. They concern not
GgUSOrSnln IA nT n
nc meeting and restrictions Oh personal
nOerLy, but have to 40 with economic,
SOCIAL ana political matters.
III local military commanders dis
agree with the clyII authorities, me dc
CIsIOn must De reached immediately ny
inc highest Commanuer, VINO VIII not be
able 10 prOmaIgaIe any decision 10
winch agreemeQl IS not given by my
SrIL or my representative, namely, Sec
reSary OF state GrOeber.
HdalnJsln STATE OF Siege
Care Will De taken chat The state
u siege lS maintained in the spirit in
which L assumed the functions of the
government and IN wnIcn am resolved
20 discharge them"
Speaking OF the powers to be vested
in the reIchStaS under the terms OF
the new measure the chancellor said
the blll provided tor the compulsory
embodiment IN the constitution OF the
fundamental idea OF the new form of
government tie said the effect would be
10 make the relchStag the peoples house
OF representative which should be re-
SpCnSIble in the decision OF the most
important question IOr the nation, name
~, OF peace and war.
'IhaT means peaceful development of
the empire and us relations with other
powers, he continued, In such an
extension OF the peoples right the inn
perlai government Is willing 10 lend
a hand when league OF nations has
taken practical form. When such Il
league puts an END TO all secreC arpar-
ate treaties L am confident That IA
II
sense"
Already Had Rights
The chancellor said the German ma
ton long had possessed political rights
which its neignDOrs enVled He spoke
in praise of The municipal and relchS-
tag elections and said that although the
German people had not made use of its
power in dealing with vital questions,
the development which had occurred at
the end OF September had changed ev-
erything.
continuance and growth OF the new sys-
tenn he added.
"This is a better and more real guar
antee than any law or paragraph"
The German people, he declared, must
not resort to forms of government which
they did not in their hearts believe
in Tor the sake of foreign countries to
meet the needs of the moment
The enemy is at our gates he said.
After paying tribute to the men at the
front he added:
Bad elements are to be found in
every army, but the fundamental will
o. the peoples army is opposed to them.
My program of October 8 embraced
amnesty for persons under sentence for
political crimes, especially those con-
nected with labor troubles. street DEM
onstrations, etc. Far-reaching amnesty
Of this nature was proposed by the en-
peroT and has now been applied"
Benevolent" Policy
Many persons had been set at liberty,
Prince Maximilian added, only with
81 m
government but the conviction of the
necessity of benevolence and a trustful
policy decided the matter"
Peace conversations between Ber-
lin and Washington have reached
a critical point, according to Prince
Macmillan, the German imperial
chancellor. speaking before the reich
stag yesterday. In the course of
his address he urged that debate
exchange of notes between himself and
situation: The presidents first answer to
the peace move of the German govern
ment has IN all countries brought the
questions of a peace of justice. or a
peace of violence to the highest point,
he continues. 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 al our thoughts and in our
actions prepare for both evcntualities-
first that the enemy governments are
anxious for war, in which case there is
no choice for US 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, I have
I no doubt that the German government,
in the name of the German people, will
issue a call for national defense in the
same way that IL spoke for the German
people when it took action for peace.
He who honestly took stand on the
basis of peace will also undertake the
duty of not submitting TO g. peace of
violence without a fight. The govern
ment which would act otherwise would
be left to the mercy of the fighting and
working people. 1t would be swept away
| by public opinion
Demand Clearness
There is also another possibility.
The German people must not be blindly
brought to the conference table. The
German people today has the right to
ask if peace is realized on the basis
of President wilson's conditions what
they mean for our future. Our answers
to the presidents question must be
standing Of that question. What 1t now
wants is clearneSS.
1.-The decision will be Of stupendous
will decide, but it will be what is
thought to be right in free discussion
with our opponents that will give the
decision. This is 4 great effort for a
proud people accustomed to victory. The
legal questions involved will not stop
at our national boundaries, which will
be never of our own accord open for
violence.
The principles upon which we have