New-York tribune., 1918-09-25
Insists That Public Discon-
tent Isn't Justified by
Military Conditions
Warns Germans Not
To Lose Courage
"We Already Have Passed
Through Harder Times,"
Says Chancellor

LoNboN. sept. "a BY The AsSOci-
atcd Press Count Won Hertling. the
German Imperial Chancellor, address,
ing the Main Committee OF the Reichs
tag to-day, said the public discomfort
IN Germany was not justified by the
military situation on the Western
front, according to dispatcl, from
Berlin.
The Chancellor opened with prom
Use to meet the desire OF the Reichstas
Tor information as far as possible He
proceeded to allude to the "ueep dis
content which has seized wide circles
OF the population,' and said the princi-
pal reason was the pressure Of the
terrible four Years Of war, with all
the deDrivations and sufferings brought t
I IN its wake, and the sacrifices imposed
on all classes. al! families. and, more
or less. on every Individual
Admite Situation IS G~avc
Il have no intention Of 'ry;ns to
diminish th:s pressure b. v'o:,!s.' he
continued, but. eentlen'ca. it IL, dis
content = Influenced b. cor prcscr.
military situation. by the cvcnts on Ike
Western frort. must. without desiring
to anticipate Il statement which We may
expect from a Representative Of thc
Nvar ministry. declare most emphat-
ica1ly that it far exceeds justifaolc
limits
Count Won Hertling admitted that ;h9
last German offensive was unsuccc3aful
and that it had been necessary to with
draw to the Siegfried inc.
"Thc situation is grave" he added.
but we have no cause to DC faint
hearted. We have already had to pas
through harder times
The Chancellor instanced the failure
of the Nerdun offensive, the Sommc
battles and BrusiloN's mass assaults,
bringing in their train the we'll remem-
hered unfavorable reaction on the
Austro-ltalian front. Then came Ru-
mania's entry into the war
''How Things Stand Now"
I've never lost courage he said,
lutte vii, to victory could do.
''EIow DO things stand nowo We have
peace with Russia and Rumania, and
even though conditions in Russia are
uncertain, nevertheless the former
menace from two sides has disappeared
and a considerable part Of our men of
the Eastern army can be employed in
the West"
"The Austro Hungarian army holds
large tracts Of Italian territory and
bravely maintains It's position In
France our troops repel attacks by thc
French English and Americans, who
are supported by every kind of modern
instrument OF war.
"The events Of the last few days
have proved the old spirit is alive in
our troops The Fatherland's true
sons are intrepidly preventing the en-
emy's pertinacious attempts TO get
through.
Base Ingratitude"
Shall We. then, lose courage and
forget what previously happened :?
Shall we refuse the old absolute con
fdencc in the men who hitherto have
ed us 10 victory because Of vcissitudes
incident 10 all war? No. gentlemen.
that would be unmanly timidity and
base ingratitude."
The slttin~ Of the main committee OF
the Reichstag was attended by the I'M
perial Chancellor. Admiral von Hintze;
TIC Foreign Secretary and other Sec
retarios of S~tc
Friedrich Ebert. president OF the
committee. announced that tho meeting
mad been called at an earlier date than
expected owing TO Austrias peace pro
oosal.
Count Yon Hertlin9 opened the dis
cussion with q statement on the politi-
cal situation. internal reforms. Prus-
sian suffrage and tn prevention of
vars in -hp tut,lrn