HERTLING'S SPEECH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 141, 4 March 1918, Page 5

HERTLING'S SPEECH

ANNEXATION OF ALSACE-LORRAINE ANOTHER MISSTATEMENT DISPROVED FRENCH FORTRESSES DESIRED BY GERMANY (Rec.- March 3, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, March 2. The national 'Alsace-Lorraine celebrations at the Sorbonne were an imposing ceremony. M. Pichon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Government, said that Count von HerthV, the Imperial Chancellor, was pretending when he said that the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine was ■ carried out in order to reoccupy Gorman territory which Franco had usurped, lho ex-Empress Eugenie, however, had just given to the national archives a letter from William I, Emperor of Germany, dated October 26, 1870, saying: "Germany insists on territorial concessions for no other reason except to make sure that the next war will find her better prepared to meet tho aggression Which is certain to come directly France has regained her strength and socured allies." . • M Pichon also read a telegram dated July 31, 1914, from Dr. von Both-mann-Holhveg, ex-Imperial Chancellor, to Baron von Schoen, German Ambassador at Paris. This stated: If the French Government remain neutral Baron von Schoen must inform them that as a guarantee of such neutrality we insist on France hand.ng over the fortresses at Toul and Verdun, which we will occupy and restore after the war. Germany must have a reply before 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. .