KAISER DECLARES WAR FORCED ON GERMANY

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 188, 14 September 1914, Page 2

KAISER DECLARES WAR FORCED ON GERMANY

Not Pushed by Desire of Conquest. i With Clean Hands We Grasp Sword

BERLIN, August 4.—"We are not pushed on by desire of conquest. We are moved by the unbending-desire to secure for ourselves and those coming after us the place in which God put us.'" < ' With these words Emperor William, in his address at the opening of the Imperial Parliament, , justified.. his, declaration of war against Russia, France, and England. " The world,'' continued the. Kaiser, "has been a witness of the indefatigable manner in which we stood in the front rank during the worries and troubles of recent, years in the endeavour to spare the nations of Europe from a war between the great Powers. "The greatest perils which had arisen owing to the events in the Balkans appeared to have been overcome, but then- the. assassination of my friend,, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, opened up a great abyss. Duty .to Austrian Ally.

same time with the ancient community of culture of the two empires, to protect our own positions against the attack of unfriendly forces. "It was with heavy heart that I was compelled to mobilise my army against a neighbour with whose, troops mine had fought , side by side on so many fields of battle, and wit&..sincere, regret •I saw tlie breaking of a friendship to •;which Germany had.been so faithful. ! "The Imperial Russian Government, giving way to an insatiable nationalism, has stepped to* the side pf a State which, through a criminal act, had brought abqut the calamity of this war. i. Hostility of France Blamed. "That France had also placed .herself on the side of our opponent was ; not surprising to us. Only too often had our efforts to bring about more friendly relations with the .French Be:public come into contact with the expression of old hopes and with longstanding malice. . "The present, situation arose, not from temporary conflicts of interest or diplomatic combinations, but is the result of ill will existing for years against the strength and prosperity of the German Empire. /'We are not pushed on by the desire of conquest. We are moved by the unbending desire to secure for ourselves and those coming after u« the place in which God has put us. "My Government and, above all, my chancellor, tried , until the last moment to prevent the worst happening. " "In enforced self-defence, with clear conscience and clean hands, we grasp the sword.

"To the people and the races of the German Empire my appeal goesforth to stand together fraternally with our allies in defence of that •which we have created in peaceful work.

Knows No Parties Now. "Following the example, of our forefathers, firm and faithful, earnest and humble befores our God and ready to fight when in the - face of the enemy, let us confide ourselves to the Everlasting Almighty, who will strengthen our defence and conduct it to a good end." At the conclusion of his Speech from the Throne 1 the Emperor addressed the Deputies directly* saying : "Gentlemen: You. have read what I said to my people the other day from the balcony of my castle. I repeat now that I no longer know any parties. I know only Germans, and in order to testify that you are firmly resolved, without distinction of party, to stand by my side through danger and death, I call on the leaders of the different parties in this House to come forward and lay their hands in mine as a pledge." Dr von Bethman-Hollweg, the Imperial Chancellor, in a speech, said: ' "We knew France was ready for an invasion. France was able to wait; we were not. A French, aggression into our flank on the lower Rhine would have been disastrous, and we, therefore, were compelled to overrule the legitimate ; protests of the. Luxemburg and Belgian Governments. We shall repair the ■ wrong, we .are doing as soon as our aims have . been reached." *

"My ally,, the Emperor Francis Joseph, was compelled to take up arms for the protection of his empire against the dangerous agitation existing in a neighbouring State. '' In pursuing its interests, : the Russian Empire stepped in the way of Austria-Hungary. "Not only our duty as an ally called us to the side of Austria-Hungary, "but the great task was cast upon at the - . <3 Juan, where she put* in for coal some days ago. . Suffolk Brings News. Details of this action, the first single sea .fight in. which a British man-of-war has engaged in these waters in a hundred years, were brought: to Halifax today by H.MJ3. Suffolk, the flagship of Rear-Admiral Cradock, commanding the fourth cruiser: squadron! "yfe were steaming nO/tli on Thursday last and the crew had just been ordered to general - station when from the fcjre masthead came _ the 'hail, 'Enemy ,011 the port flag captain of the Suffolk; in giving out an official < statement of the chase of the Karlsruhe to-day. "As soon as we knew that _ war was dec&red the ship had" been prepared for battle. Fittings, all . woodwork, and everything else that might be at all inflammable, we pitched overboard, aid the sea for miles round was strewn with debris. : Prepared for Battle. "Under these circumstances there was very little left to do when the order ' Clear ship for action' was given. The gun crews went to battle stations and the stokers .were doublebanked. "Off the port bow, about eleven or twelve miles away, we could see the Karlsruhe and the Kronprinz Wilhel'm.; The Karlsruhe had her boats out/ coaling, from the North German Lloyd v ship,-and as we' hurried down toward her ' it was in the hope she had run' »o short in her bunkers that we eould'eateh her. "As soon aa the Germans sighted us they took to their heels. The Karlsruhe did not even stop to pick up her boats. He? men clambered aboard as best they could,she hustled away to the northward, '-while the Kronprinz Wilhelm fteered; off te the east. We knew, of eourae, that the Karlsruhe had the heel# for' us; our only hope was that she was short of fuel and eould not keep : pp the steam, but this hope was fruitless. /.'Call-Cruisers to Aid. , i 'Nineteea thousand yards was the eloeesi We got to our .quarry.; \ The Bristol was to the Borth of us and the