GERMAN REVIEW.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 17038, 13 December 1915, Page 7

GERMAN REVIEW.

OPTIMISTIC CHANCELLOR.

SOCIALISTS MODERATE.

OPPOSE CONQUEST BUT WILL

DEFEND GERMANY.

By Telegraph—Prert Association—Copyright. LONDON, December 10.

In tho Reichstag Heir Schoidemapn, in moving an interpellation asking the Chancellor to stoate the conditions whereon he was prepared' to enter into peace negotiations, was unexpectedly moderate, being evidently undesirous of embarrassing the Government. He said the Socialists strongly opposed making this war one of conquest, but were unanimous in their determination to defend the country, and they would not hear of the separation of Alsace and Lorraine. The German people desired that the war should not be continued a day longer thau was necessary to secure the independence of the country. The starvation plan had failed. Germany had' twenty million pigs and as many potatoes as the people were able to use. It would be criminal if hostile statesmen endeavoured to delude the nations into thinking that the situation could change to Germany's disadvantage. Germany was able and determined' to defend her own hearth. Socialists therefore desired that the first decisive step towards peace should emanate from Germany. WILL CONSIDER PROPOSALS.

Dr von Bethnmnn-Hollweg, in replying to the interpellation, said that ho offer of neace by Germany would follow while tho country's enemies maintained their hypocrisy and ignorance. All disguises must first be dropped'. If Iheir enemies brought proposals proper to Germany's dignity, she would always be ready to ffiscuss. them. •'Germany, in full consciousness of her successes," said the Chancellor, "'declines responsibility for the continuation of the distress filling Europe and tho world. Nobody can say she desires to prolong the war for the sake of conquest. I am unable to say what guarantees Germany will demand as regards Belgium. Neither in the east, nor in the west must our enemies hold the means of invading our country whereby they would b* able to threaten us more strongly than before the war. We also safeguard our economic development. This war throughout is a war in defence of tho German nation, and its future."

Tn liis speech the Chancellor also said: “We have gained gigantic successes, a nd‘ deprived the enemy of one hope after another. When the road to Turkey was opened, threatening the most, vulnerable point of the British Empire, our enemies must hare recognised that thev had lost the game. M TT ST KNOW ALLIES’ TERMS. “ Tf I am to speak of peace conditions. I must first see the enemies’ conditions. Their ambitions are unchanged. despite what has happened. Recent speeches in the House of Lords found hardly an who in the British Pros*. Mr Asquith, at the Guildhall. -;aid that, the objects of the. war were the same as in the beginning, including the freedom of the small States, hut the small States which had believed that wore now cured; since England has been fighing for them, they fare badly. The destruction of Prussian militarism means the finishing for ever of a great State whose velopment has filled our enemies- with envy and' distrust. England’s Allies took up this battle cry. Such cries and the talk of restoring Alsace and -Poland and conquering Constantinople were merely bluff. The enemy peoples have been fed with false hopes. They now find that victories have not been gained, and that thev have suffered many military and diplomatic d'efeats, and have sacrificed hecatombs of men, and that yet we stand far •within their territories, have opened the way to the south-east, and hold valuable securities. CHARGE AGAFNST NAVY. “But the enemy cannot give up tlie delusion that Germany must be crushed. Now they have placed* their hopes in war exhaustion. Our provisions arc sufficient. Concerning the exhaustion of men, wo have not gone as far as Russia. We do not intend to extend the age limit, as they have done. Our losses are smalle" than those of tho Frcuch. The depth of the enemy’s hate is shown in tlie Baralong case, iu which a British warship murdered the crew of a helpless German submarine. The British Press hushed this up. The British have been proud of the Navy’s spirit. They cannot reply to this murder, which remains a black stain on the Navy’s history.” Herr Lnnd'sberg, spokesman of the Socialists, said they were ready for an honourable pence safeguarding Germany against frivolous attacks. Whoever attempted to carve up Germany wouhl encounter a united people. The debate was adjourned. BARALONG CHARGE. BRITISH ADMIRALTY’S DENIAL. (Received December 12. 5.3 p.m.) LONDON. December 11. The Press Bureau states that tlie circumstances of tlie destruction of the German submarine and her crow by the Baralong in August are now the subject of communication between Britain and America. Therefore, the Admiralty does not propose to make any public statement at present beyond repudiating von Bethmann-Hollwog’s unwarranted charge. THE CERMAN PRESS. COMMENT ON THE SPEECH. REPORTS CENSORED. AMSTERDAM, December 10. Tlie German Press comments extensively on Dr von Bothmanu-Hollweg’s speech. ' The “ Berliner Tageblatt ” states that the Chancellor was wise when he

refused to make suggestion* regarding rce. The journal warns him not to misled by superaimexionist pan-Ger-mans, who believe that Germany desires to annex half of Europe. The "Deutsche Tageszeitung welcomes the speech, said adds: "Now even onr blindest enemies know how we stand, aud how determined we are to win." , •- COPENHAGEN, December 10. Soma Berlin journals received tiie Chancellor's speech coolly. # A large section of the public are bitterly disappointed. The "Vossische Zeitung" frankly admits that the Chancellor deceived Qverybody. The speech consisted only of polemics, which ran out into painful littleness against British hypocrisy.

The correspondent® add that yesterday there were tremendous demonstrations. Owing to the censoring it is impossible, to say what happened.

STRICT CENSORSHIP.

(Received December 12, 5.5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, December 11. “ Vorwaerts ” announces that the censorship has forbidden its comments on the Reichstag debate. Socialists express most intense dissatisfaction at the action of the censor. OPINIONS IN LONDON. “NO CHANGE OUT OF BLUFF.” (Received December 12, 3.5 p.m.) LONDON, Decernner 10. The Press is sarcastio At Dr von Bethmann-Hollweg’s expense and points out that Germany got no change out of the bluff, which commenced with wireless references to her readiness to make peace. Italy’s signing of the no-separate peace agreement loft the Chancellor with nothing to do but a display of grandiose heroics in the Reiohstag. PEACE DEMONSTRATION. BERLIN MOB SHOUT INSULTS AT KAISER. (Received December 12, 5.5 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, December 11. An enormous peace demonstration took place in Berlin on Thursday night. Molly thousands assembled in tho Friedrich Strasse and tried to force their way to the Reichstag. Traffic was completely stopped for three hours and the police were unable to disperse the demonstrators. The mob continually cried: “Peace! Peace!” and some shouted insults at the Kaiser and his family. MAX HARDEN’S WORD. GERMAN TASK MONSTROUSLY HARD. " Time* ” and Sydney “ Sun ” Smticm. LONDON, December 10. Herr Maximilian Harden, lecturing in Berlin, said:— “Wo have not beaten a single enemy, to say nothing of defeating them all. Victory must be reached, though the task will be monstrously hard. Germany must avoid a war of attrition at all costs, and therefore, the people must prepare for further sacrifice and privations. The Government must tell the people the real truth.” The military authorities approved of the lecture and pre-read the text. NAVY NOT TO FIGHT. SEA BATTLE HEROIC BUT NOT WAR. LONDON, December 10. The representative of a Gorman journal after visiting the fleet describes it as anxiously guarding the North Sea and tho Baltic. “Our fleet,” lie says, “is a piece of armour covering a vulnerable spot. Without its aid England might have put pressure on Denmark, taken the Dardanelles and terrorised the whole of the Balkans into joining the Allies. Without it England’s chance of forcing peace on us would be ten times greater than it is to-day. It. is not Germany’s place to provoke a decisive battle on the sea. It would be heroic, but not war.”