GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S PEACE WHINE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3043, 2 April 1917, Page 5

GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S PEACE WHINE

A WAIL ABOUT RUSSIA AND CHINA SENSATIONAL REVOLT OF THE SOCIALISTS ' ■ • London, March 30. Referring to Ilussia, Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg said that the time-hon-oured friendship coded with the death of Tsar Alexander EE. Emperor Nicholos had drifted in the wake of the Entente, and into pan-Slavic currents. Finally,, the partisan war party declined to listen, in July, 1914, to the Kaiser's appeal. When, in 1905, the Japanese war and tho ensuing revolution had reduced Russia to dire straits, the Kaiser urged the Tsar no longer to oppose the wishes of the nation for reforms,- but Tsar Nicholas preferred other roads. Had Russia concentrated npon internal reconstruction, she would have : avoided the restless polioy of expansion, leading to the war. ,-Herr Hollweg characterised as lies and slander the reports that Germany had-de-sired to abolish Russia's hardly-won freedom, and that the Kaiser would like to Te-establißh a state of Tsardom over her enslaved subjects..^The method «f reconstruction of internal affairs was purely tho business of the Russians themselves'. "We must not meddle with it. Wo may only hope that- the conditions in Russia will develop in such a way as to make her a strong and firm bulwark of peace." , The Breach-With China. "The pressure of our enemies has forced China's rupture of relations. We; are convinced that the result of the war will enable Germany to rebuild her trade and influence in the East at the expense of our enemies. The friendliness will, revive if China continues the necossaiy resistance against her present thanks wero due to Vou Hindenhurc «id Von Ludendorff for what they had accomplished on the Western front. He boasted of the success of the work of the submarines ajid concluded by referring to internal questions. He declared that the, in the Reiohstag had not convinced him there was a possibility of the beginning of a reform in the Prussian franchise. It would be a most seriousjnatter to decide such a question while millions of; men were in the trenches.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , ' ' ' SOCIALISTS OPP.OSE THE ESTIMATES SENSATIONAL STAND EMBARRASSES THE GOVERNMIiNT. '■ * . Amsterdam, March 30. Both Socialist groups in the Reichstag opposed the Supplementary Estimates on Thursday. Herr Bernstein said that "experience justifies our distrust of tho Government's policy. The neutrals hate us; America was forced to side with the Allies. Tho events in Russia show that social democracy can achieve the peace-loving ideal. A just peaco must bo reachcd as soon as posBit>l °The Socialist vote caused a sensatipn in. tho Reichstag. This is the first time the whole partv has opposed tlwGovernment, and ib means the systematio opposition of all tho Socialists in the country to tho continuation of the'war, and may result in a serious political crisis. Tho Government is making concessions all round, and promises francbiso reforms to tho Socialists ana tho withdrawal of tho Anti-Jesuit Bill to the Catholics. _ The debate in the Upper Housfl of the Prussian Diet showed strong ]unkcr opposition to electoral reform* —Autf.-N-wi, Cablo lAssn,