RAISER'S MANIFESTO.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8206, 2 August 1915, Page 5

RAISER'S MANIFESTO.

"BEFORE GOD MY CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR."

"FIGHT FORCED UPON US."

WILL SUFFER AND WORK TILL PEACE COMES.

(Received August 2, 9.25 a.m.) BERLIN, August 1. The Kaiser, in a manifesto to the German people, says:— " A year has elapsed since I was obliged to call the German people to arms, and an unprecedented time of bloodshed has befallen Europe and the world. Before God- and history my conscience is clear. I did not will the war.. After preparations for a whole decade, the coalition of Powers, for whom Germany was becoming too great, believed that the moment had come to humiliate the empire which had stood loyally beside its ally in a just cause, or crush it by overwhelming encircling forces. "V^ "No lust of conquest drove us to 'war. When all tho able-bodied men rushed to the colours in August, and our ■ troops marched to the defensive war, every German on earth felt he was fighting for the highest good of the nation—for its life, and its freedom. What awaits us if the enemy succeeds in determining the fate of our people and of Europe has been shown by the hardships endured by my dear province of East Prussia.. " The consciousness that tho fight was forced upon us has accomplished miracles. Political conflicts were silenced, old opponents began to understand and esteem each other, and a spirit of true comradeship governed the entire people. In full gratitude I can say that God was with us. " Our enemies' armies, who boasted "that they would enter Berlin in a few months, have been driven back v lv>nvy Mows in the far east and west. Numbers of battlefields in various parts of Europe, and naval battles on near find distant coasts,, testify to what the German anger in self-defence and German strategy can do. "No. violation of international laws by our enemies is able to shake the economic foundation of onr conduct of the war. The communities of agriculture; industry, commerce, science, and ; technical . art have, endeavoured to ' soften, the stress-of war, appreciating; the necessity of.'measures for, the free j 'intercourse-of .goods and wholly devoted I care of their brethren in the field. The 1 population have exerted their utmost strength in facing tho common danger. : '"•With deep gratitndo, tho Fatherhind to-day remembers, and will ever remember, its warriors—those who, , trying death, show a bold front to the jSßfemy; those who are wounded and 'have come back ill; those, above all, who rest from--..battle on a foreign soil or at the bottom of the sea. 1 grieve with the mothers, widows, and oj-phaiiE for their beloved who died for 'the Fatherland. "The internal strength <\nd the unanimous national will, in the spirit of the founders of the empire, guarantee victory. The dykes which they erected in anticipation that we would once more have to defend what we gained in 1870, have defied the highest tide in the world' 3 history. "After such unexampled proofs of personal ability and national energy I cherish a bright confidence that the Gorman people, faithfully preserving the purification which they have acquired through the war, will vigorously proceed along the old paths and confidently enter new ones. Great trials make a nation firm in heart and heroic in action. Wo will suffer and work without wavering tmtil peace comes—a peace which offers the necessary military, politier, 1, and rconomio guarantees for'the future conditions necessary for tho. unhindered development of our producing energy at home and on the free seas. Thus we shall emerge with honour from a Avar for Germany s ri^ht and freedom, howevor long the war may last, and ho worthy of victory before God, Who we pray may henceforward bless our armies."