Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-07
GERMAN LEADER
APPEALS T0U. S.
TO BRING PEACE
CONTINUED From Page One.)

CONTINUED From Page One.)
to reach an understanding an the
question of indemnity.
THE program will. not permit the
peace treaties hitherto concluded to
be hindrance to the conclusion OF
a general peace. Its particular aim
is that popular responsible bodies
shall be formed on a broad basis in
the Baltic provinces in Lithuania
and Poland. We will promote the
realization Of necessary preliminary
conditions, therefore, without delay
by the introduction of civilian rule.
NAll these lands shall regulate their
constitutions and their relations
with neighboring peoples without
external interference.
Seeks Unity of Ideas.
I'm the matter of International
policies, | have taken a clear stand
, through the manner in which the
formation of the government was
brought about. Upon my motion,
leaders of the majority parties were
summoned for direct advice. 1t was
my convictions, that unity and i'm
pe1ial leadership should be assured
not only through mere party allie
glance by the different members of
the government. | considered al
most still more important the unity
of ideas. | proceeded from this
viewpoint and have, in making my
selections laid great weight on
the fact that the members of the
new imperial government stand on
a basis of just peace of justice, re-
CARELESS Of the war situation, and
that they have openly declared this
to be their standpoint at the time
when we stood at the height of our
military successes.
II am convinced that the manner
in which imperial leadership is =. "
constituted with cooperation of the
Reichstag is not something ephem-
eral, and that when peace comes
a government cannot again be
formed which does not find support
in the Reichstag and does not
draw its leaders therefrom.
German Factions Harmonized.
"The war has conducted us be-
yond the old multifarious and dis
rupted party life which made it so
difficult to put into execution a
uniform and decisive political wish.
The formation of a majority means
the formation of a political will,
and an indisputable result of the
war has been that in Germany for
the first time great parties have
joined together in firm. harmoni-
Gus program and have thus come
into position to determine for them
selves the fate of the people.
This thought will never die. This
development will never be re-
tracted (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.
Constitution to be Altered.
"This development necessitates an
alteration of our constitutions pro-
visions along the lines of the inn,
perial decree of September so, !
which shall make it possible that
those members OF the Reichstag,
who entered the government, will /
retain their seats in the Reichstag. /
A bill to this end has been submit
ted 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 1
August 4, 1914, which l permitted
myself to paraphrase last Deem
Der at Karlsruhe: There are, in
act, parties, but they are all Ger
nan parties
Political developments in Prus-
'ia, the principal German federal
state, must proceed in the spirit OF
hese words OF the emperor and the
Message of the king of Prussia
promising the democratic franchise
must be fulfilled quickly and COM
,letely, (Applause). l do not doubt,
Ilso, that those federal states which
till lag behind in the development
Of their constitutional conditions
will resolutely follow Prussia's ex-
nipple. (Applause.)
Civilian Voice to be Heard.
"For the present, as the example
# all belligerent states demonstrate,
he extraordinary powers which
condition of siege compels cannot
'e dispensed with, but close rela-
ions between the military and civil
ian authorities must be established,
which will make it possible that in
II not purely military questions,
nd hence especially as to censor
hip and right of assemblage, the
ttitude of the civilian executive au-
horities shall make itself heard and
hat final decision shall be placed
nder the chancellor's responsible
ty. (Applause.)
ITO this end, the order of the
mperor will be sent to the military
commanders. With September 80,
he day of the decree, began new
pooh in Germany's internal history.
he international policy whose
asic principles are therein laid
own is of deciding importance of .
he question of peace or war.
The striking force which the