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

| gerous to us
 Germany has always been faced with the danger of war on two fronts ewing to her geographical position. It now became more and more vis- ible. An allegiance was concluded i hetween Russian and France, whose inhabitants were moro than louble those of the German Empire and Austria-Hungary. F'rance-Republi- can France-lent to Tsaristic Russia millions for the construction af strat- egic railways :n the kingdom of po- land which were to facilitate an ad- vance against us. The French Repub- lie called up it's last man for three years military service. Thus France together with Russia, created for her self an armed force up to the limits ] of her capacity. Both pursued aims which our enemies now characte, ize Gs Imperialistic.
 Armamcnts for ''Peace''
 It would have been neglect of duty 1 if Germany had merely looked on quietly, and if we also had not at tempted to create for ourselves an armament with the object of protect ling ourselves against future enemles. may perhaps remind you of the fact that I myself, as a member of the Reichstag, have often spoken about these things, and that on the occa- sion of new army budgets I have al- ways pointed out that the German na- ton, in agreeing to these armaments. merely wished to pursue a policy of
 peace, and that these armaments were forced upon us Or defence gainst the danger threatening us from our enemies. It does not seem las if these words were in any way needed by foreign countries.
 And now as to Alsace-Lorraine, which is once again referred to by MT. Lloyd George. ~Once again he speaks of the injustice whicI: Ger many committed aSaInst France Tn the year 1871. Alsace- -Lorraine-I do not say this to you, you do not need this information, but abroad there still seems to be ig1to-.>@4~~ about thesa things -Alsace- Lorraine, as is known
 includes for the greater part purely German territory which was detached from the German Empire by centur-
 ies of continuous violation and
 breaches of right. until finally. in
 1789, the French revolution swallow
 ed up what was left. At that time
 they became French provinces.
 When, therefore, in the war of 1870
 we demanded back the regions WY ich } had heen wantor!y wrestcd from us
 that was not conquest of foreign ter ritory, but was in reality what today
 is called dis-anneXation, ard this dis
 annexation was expressly recognized by the French National Assembly and
 the constitutional representatives .ol
 the French nation at that time, MarcF 29, 1871; and in England people al that time spoke very differently from
 what they do today.
 Carlyle Quoted I can refer to a classical witress
 He is no other than the celebrated
 English historian and author, Thomas Carlyle who in letter to the Times
 in December 1870, wrote as follows ; "No nation ever had such a bat neighbor as Germany has possessed in France during the last 400 years Germany would be mad if she die not think of erecting a frontier wal between herself and such a neighbor' , l-I draw attention to the fact tha , for my part I am ont repeating tht very sharp terms which Carlyle uset , against France in this connection , land if she does not erect for hersel , such a frontier wall, when she na: , the opportunity to do so. I know O. no natural law and of no Heaven
 sent to decree on the strength O
 France, alone among the dwellers O
 the earth should not be obliged tC {, return a portion of stolen territorie x when the owners from whom the! 7 were wrested had a favorable oppor z tunity to get them back"
 And prominent English Press or gans expressed themselves in tn
 same sense, I may mention, for in
 stance, "The Daily News.'
 And now I come to President Will
 son. Here also I admit that the tom = has changed. It appears that th' y unanimous rejection at the time o . the attempt of MT. Wilson, in the re ' ply to the Papal note, to sow discort between the German government ant
 the German nation has done it's work V It was possibly this unanimous rejec ton which led MT. Wilson on to tn
 right road, and perhaps a beginnin; u has been made, because now there is ,' at least, no longer any question of tn u suppression of the German nation b.
 an autocratic government, and thu
 former attacks against the house O
 Hohenzollern are not repeated. vii rot go into the distorted representa- e tions of German policy which ar . even yet to be found in MT. Wilson y message, but will discuss in detai the points which MT. Wilson bring ., forward.
 Wilson's Fourteen Points
 e There are no less than IA points il Is which he formulates his peace pro n gram, and beg you to have patienc Is if bring fgorward these 14 points fo y discussion, as briefly IS possible. g 1. No secret international agree r ments. History records t-lat we wer 1T the first to be able 10 declare our l. lselves in agreement with the mos