SPEECH BY GERMAN AMBASSADOR.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12753, 28 March 1910, Page 4

SPEECH BY GERMAN AMBASSADOR.

; <* : The other clay at tho banquet of tho German colony in England, the German ambassador remarked: — We can point to the fact that" Germany has Jcept the peace for nearly forty years, and for more than half that period under the rule, of his Majesty the Emperor. Could the same be said of all other great Powers ? We have not succumbed to the temptation to use our might. On the contrary, the history of the last decades shows that we have imposed upon ourselves a wise self-restraint. I have already snul f)->«+. we are a peace loving. jiation, and are far from contemplating any war of aggression, for the reason that our national aspirations would not be advanced by war now that we have accomplished our national unity. Every nation, however, and more especially one which is developing rapidly as Germany is, has aspirations which vary in the course of 1 its evolution. We do not cast longing eyes on tracts of territory upon which~to settle a _ surplus population, for notwithstanding an increase of about 1,000,000 souls annually, emigration from our country lias been steadily declining during the last 20 years, and lias now fallen to insignificant figures. The development 'of industries, commerce, and agriculture afford sufficient opportunities for employment at home, and thus restrains emigration. Simultaneously with expansion in nearly all departments, and with the greater national prosperity resulting therefrom, the j demands of the home market have also increased considerably yet not to the same extent as tho capabilities of -production. We must therefore depend to a large extent upon export trade ,and in. order to secure this -trade we must seek commercial relations abroad, and try to preserve those already made. This is the real meaning of that frequently misunderstood expression Weltpolitik. Our policy of commerce is directed towards the peaceable acquisition of new markets. The weapons with which this policy of conquest is carried out are intellectual industry, skill and knowledge. As a matter of fact, no markets can be gained by brute force You cannot compel anyone to" do business with you at the point of the bayonet, if he has neither inclination nor money to do so. Doing business selling or exchanging goods, presupposes willingness in both parties. This refers equally to the home as to the foreign market. 'ITue political boundaries have lost much of thenformer significance through tho increase of facilities of trading, ao civilised country can nowabays shut itself off from the rest of the world without injury to itself. We are not less proud to know that the German Empire has never abused its power. We are a peace-loving people. Wo can defend ourselves, and, if necessary, we can defend ourselves vigorously. But wars of aggression from a Just of conquest or greed or a desire for glory are far from •our thoughts. With national unity accomplished there is for us no ■thought of further war in order to | attain national aims. This is known to every One in Germany, and we here know' 'it too. Ncvertehless, it is not superfluous that this truth, which to us Germans seems a matter of course, ] should be "stated, for there are people who assert that we are only awaiting the opportunity to fall upon any weaker power. To such hallucinations of timorous souls it is not easy to reply. The mind that can conceive them is not open to reasonable argu-. ment. Our conscience, however, is clear. .