REICHSTAG SPEECHES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 27 September 1918, Page 5

REICHSTAG SPEECHES.

MINISTERS' ATTEMPTS AT REASSURANCE. "ENEMY'S CRIES OF VICTORY PREMATURE." SUBMARINES SLOWLY FULFILLING THEIR TASK. FEAR OF AMERICA DEPRECATED. AMSTERDAM, Step. At Count yon Hertling, in a speech in, the Reichstag, referring to th© deep discontent prevalent in wide circles of the population, said that if this discontent arose from the. military situation it fax exceeded. justifiable limits. The situation was grave, but there was no reason for faint-heartedness, as it was not so bad as during the summer of 1916. [Reviewing the eastern situation, he said the future appeared uncertain, but the former menace had disappeared, hence a considerable part of the eastern army was employable on the west) front. He boasted that Hindenburg and Ludehdorff would be equal to the situation. Th© enemies' premature cries of victory would soon die away. He appealed to the. people not to leave the men at the front in the lurch now that everything was at stake. Defending the invasion, of Belgium, he said that if Germany had not acted quickly the enemy" would have anticipated the move and invaded her. Germany's conscience was clear, because sfte offered the Belgians money for the promise of neutrality when first overrun. Th» offer was even repeated after the fall of Liege. He denied that Germany was striving for world hegemony. The world \ war was prepared years ago by the well-known encircling policy of King Edward. The match was not put to the powder by Prussian militarists. While the Kaiser to the last.moment was endeavoring fto preserve peace, Russian militarists effected mobilisation against the will of the weak Czar, owing to which the war became unavoidable. Germany could calmly await the judgment of posterity. It was true that an unparalleled campaign of lies obscured the truth, with the result that hatred of Germany had arisen amongst the jenemy population, which choked all moderation and just- judgment. M. Clemenceaute last speech, in fanatical hatred and coarseness of mind, surpassed everything hitherto achieved. Yon Hertiihg, continuing, attributed American war enthusiasm partly to the huge profits from armaments, and sneered at British recognition of the conglomerate rabble of Czecho-Slovaks as. a belligerent_Pj>wer., , He aclded that "tie •■■ submarines were slowly, but surely, fulfilling the task' of diminishing tonnage, but, above all, restricting American reinforcements of men and material. The hour must come when the enemy would see reason and be ready to make an end to the war before half the world was rained and the flower' of manhood lay dead on the battlefield. ; j

Yon Hertling reiterated his entire sympathy with the idea of a league of nations, provided equal rights to all members of the league were guaranteed. He declared the idea of the refstraction of annahients was thoroughly riapable of discussion.

Admiral Brueninghaus, on behalf of the Admiralty, declared that more1 submarines were now operating than at any period of the war.

General*von Ejwrisberg attributed the failure of the Gtetrman blow past Rhedms to the impossibility of securing a surprise. The subsequent Allied successes were largely due to tUfla British bringing over their home armies and the intervention of the American divisions. The G^eirman witlhdrawals 'in Flanders were made in order to prevent a British enveloping attack. He added: "The American armies should not terrify us. We: can also settle with them." Summing up the general military situation, he. said that despite ma,terial losses they were well protected. Yon Hintze, referring to the Austrian peace note, said the German Gov-. •eminent did not think this was'the most suitable moment for the renewal of such an appeal, when the einemy was suffering from the intoxication of .victory. The appeal had, however, been despatched, and Germany, Turkey, and Bulgaria had forthwith adhered thereto.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.