THE CHANCELLOR'S STATEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 121, 15 October 1914, Page 3

THE CHANCELLOR'S STATEMENT.

PLEA OF NECESSITY. American papers publish appeals by the Gorman Chancellor (Herr von Beth-inann-Hollweg), in which lie asks for an impartial judgment during the war. Thus the appeal runs:— The war is a life and death struggle hot ween Germany and ttiho Muscovite raet-a of Rusfiia, and was due to the re-t-.f-ii t royal murder alt Serajevo. "We warned Russia about kindling tlii.i world war. She demanded the humiliation of Austria, and while the German Emperor continued his work in the cause of peace and the Tsar was telegraphing words of friendship to ■ him Russia was preparing for war against Germany. "Highly civilised France, bound by her unnatural alliance with Russia, was compelled to prepare by strength of arm* for an attack on its Hank on the FrancoBelgian frontier in case we procoodvd against the French frontier works. England, bound to France by obligations disowned long ago, stood in tho way of a German attack on the northern coast of France .

"Necessity forced us to violate the neutrality of Belgium, but we had promised emphatically to compensate that country for all damage indicted. "Now England avails herself of the I tang-waited opportunity to commence war for the destruction of commercially prosperous Germany. We enter into that war with our trust in God. Our eternal race has rißen in the fight for liberty, a 6 it did in 1813. "It is with a heavy heart that we geeEngland ranged among our opponents.. 1 "Notwithstanding the blood relationship and close relationship in spiritual and cultural work between the twocountries, England has placed herself on the side of Russia, whose instability and whose barbaric insolence have helped this war, the origin' of which was murder, and the purpose of which was the humiliation and suppression of the 1 German race by Russian pan-Slarism. "We expect that the sense of justice of the American people will enable them to comprehend our situation. We invite their opinion as to the one-sided English representations, and ask them to examine our point of view in an unprejudiced way. "The smypathy of the American na- j tion will then lie with German culture and civilisation, fighting against a halfAsiatic and slightly cultured barbarism."

, Generally tho American press does not agree with the German Chancellor. The Independent, the well-known New York weekly, in replying to the appeal o.u August 24, said."Russia did not begin tho war. It. was begun tyiOrmamy'ftjiHy, Austria, against a small Slav nation, Scrvia. It is in-, credible that it had not sent. 'We warned Russia' j£ e Chancellor aUn £ lhlgworld . s Zf T U 'V, U * 4% *' aa not Rusßia «lftt HiU'UM ih it was >•.»--- ••■- ..i. urf- | many did warn Russia not to held Serbia, but to let little Servia be gobbled up. That is, Germany stood behind Austria in the grab. Russia stepped in to defend her feeble sister; and Austria knew, and Germany knew, and all the world knew that it was to be expected. And so the great war began, not Russia's war, but that of Austria, and her backer who liad made it possible previously to absorb Bosnia. "The Chancellor says" that the purpose of Russia was the 'humiliation and suppression of the German race by Russian pan-Slavism.' There is no evidence that Russia desired any such thing, ftnd the world does not believe it . . .

"Then the Chancellor cflmrgeg Hhat Britain 'avails herself of the long-awaitea opportunity to commence war for the destruction of commercially prosperous Germany.' This is an absurd obsession. England had taken no step to limit German commerce. At her ports and in colonies she has made no tariff discrimination against German, imports. Goods 'made in Germany' had free competition with goods made at Home. There was absolutely fair dealings with German commerce, and it was Germany only that raised a restrictive tariff.

''ln this war it is impossible to give the approval asked for to our good and powerful friend, Germany. We regret that she ia in the wronii, and arc profoundly sorry that she has) brought on herself the condemnation of the world."