The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-07

have, in making my selections, laid great
est weight on the fact that the members Of
the new Imperial Government stand on
basis of just peace of justice, regardless
of the war situation, and that they have
openly declared this to be their stand
point at the time when we stood at the
height of our military successes.
am convinced that the manner in which
imperial leadership is now constituted with
cooperation of the Reichstag is not some
comes a Government cannot again be
formed which does not find support in the
Rechstag and does not draw its leaders
therefrom.
The war has conducted us beyond the
old multifarious and disrupted party life
which made it SO difficult to put into exscu-
ton uniform and decisive political wish.
The formation of a majority means the
formation Of political will, and an indis-
putable result of the war has been that in
Germany, for the first time, great parties
have joined together in a firm, harmonious
programme and have thus come into posi-
tion to determine for themselves the fate
of the people.
This thought will never die. This de-
velopment will never be retracted lap
plause] and l trust that so long as Ger
many'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 altera-
tion of our constitutions provisions
along the lines of the imperial decree of
September 80, which shall make it possible
that those members of the Rechstag who
entered the Government will retain their
seats in the Reichstag. A bill to this end
has been submitted to the Federal States
and will Immediately be made the object
of their consideration and decision.
Gentlemen, let remember the words
spoken by the Emperor on August A, 1914,
which ! permitted myself to paraphrase
last December at Karlsruhe: "There are,
in fact parties. but they are all German
parties" [applausel.
Political developments in Prussia, the
principal German Federal State, must pro-
ceed in the spirit of these words of the En-
peror, and the message of the King of
Prussia promising the democratic franchise
must be fulfilled quickly and completely
tapplausel. do not doubt also that those
Federal States which still lag behind in
the development of their constitutional con-
ditions will resolutely follow Prussia's ex-
ample [applause].
For the present, as the example of all
belligerent States demonstrates, the ex-
traordinary powers which condition of
siege compels cannot be dispensed with,
but close relations between the military
which will make it possible that in all not
purely military questions, and hence espe-
cially as to censorship and right of assem-
blage, the attitude OF the civilian executive
authorities shall make itself heard and that
final decision shall be placed under the
Chancelior's responsibility [applausel.
To this end the order of the Emperor
will be sent to the military commanders
With September 80, the day of the Decree
began new epoch in Germanys internal
history. The internal policy whose basic
principles are therein laid down is of de-
Gliding Importance on the question of peace
or war.
The striking force which the Govern
ment has in its strivings for peace depends
on whether it has behind it the united
firm and unshakable will of the people
Only when our enemies feel that the Ger
man people stand united back of their
chosen leaders-then only can words be-
come deeds lapplausel.
At the peace negotiations the German
Government will use its efforts to the end
that the treaties shall contain provisions
concerning the protection of labor and in
surance of laborers, which provisions shall
oblge the treaty making States to insti-
tute in their respective lands within a pre-
scribed time a minimum of similar, or at
least equally, efficient institutions for the
security of life and health as for the care
of laborers in the case of illness, accident
or invalidism.
Of direct Importance are the conclusions
which the Government in the brief span
of its existence has been able to draw from
the situation in which it finds itself a~d
to apply practically to the situation. More
than four years of bioodiest struggle
against a world of numerically superior
enemies are behind us, years full of the
hardest battles ard most painful sacrifices
Nevertheless, we are of strong heart and
full of confident faith in our strength, re-
solved to bear still heavier sacrifices for
our honor and freedom and for the happi-
ness of our posterity, if it cannot be other
wise [applausel.
We remember with deep and warm graf
itude our brave troops. who under splendid
leadership have accomplished almost super-