GERMANY’S REPLY.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1917, Page 1

GERMANY’S REPLY.

Statement by Count Hollweg A Full Review. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association ami Neuter ) LONDON, Feb. 27. A wireless message says that Count Holhveg, speaking in the lleichstag said:—Our one necessity in the hgut is to gain the victory. Our soldiers stand in the trenenes, our submarines, defying death, hasten through the seas. Our home people are tirelessly producing ammunition and food, ana realise the intensfied Ife of the future.

It -would be unproductive and precarious to make promises or formulate detailed conditions.

Our hostile Allies are doing this abundantly, giving extiavagcm. assurances to one another, but their example does not tempt me. Our aim is solely reparation and future guarantees, nothing more or less. The Entente’s answer to our peace offer was more rude and presumptuous than any sensible German or neutral could imagine, and the effect of the Entente’s displays of babarism and hatred would soon be manifest to the whole world.

Our Alliances and fronts stand firm, and our nation is more united and resolute than ever.

deferring to the barred zones round Britain, Fanco and Italy, we do not under-estimate the difficulties caused to neutral shipping, therefore we endeavoured to alleviate them as mum <.s possible, also to do the utmost in our power in supplying neutrals with raw materials, coal and iron.

We know that it is only Britain s tyranny of the seas which causes these difficulties, but we shall break this enslavement of all non-Britisli trade, and we will meet half way all neutrals’ wishes wherewith it is possible to comply.

Our wishes in this drcction can never go beyond the limits imposed by us by our irrevocable decision to reach our aim in the establishment of these barred zones, and it is contain that later the neutrals will thank its for our firmness, because the freedom 01 the oceans we arc gaining by fighting, will also be advantageous for them. He' had not received authentic rcaons for President Wilson’s brusque step ' Dr Gerard earlier had merely intimated verbally a break off in the relations, and asked his passports, and this form of severing relations by a great nation living in peace is probably unprecedented. President Wilson is reported as tellingg his Congress that Germany’s Note of 31st January, suddenly and whnoiu warning, withdraw Germany’s solemn

promises given in <the Note of May, ' var 1916; therefore President Wilson had no choice hot to break off relations.

Now if President Wilson is concctly reported Count iiollweg said he must decidedly protest.

American Relations

British Failure LONDON, Fob. 27. Over a century of friendly relations, carefully promoted between Germany and America, from which both countries benefitted, but, since the war's out-' break things in American have eliangeu and old principles are overthrown. President Wilson during the Mexican troubles of 1913 declared that he intended to adhere to the best usages of internaltonality, and would not supply arms' to cither American party. Apparently lie no longer considered these usages good in 1914, because lie supplied war material to 'the Emeuw zealously, and President Wilson upheld the rights of Americans freely to travel for trade with the Entente, even in the munitions’ trade for spilling German blood, btu the same right to American citizens towards the Central Powers was’inot deemed equally valuable or worthy of protection. ■America protested at some of Britain's measures as contrary to international law, but he submitted to them. We must protest with equal decisiveness to America’s objection that the manner of our withdrawal of the assurances in the May Note offended America’s honour and dignity. We, from the beginning, expressiy declared that these assurances would be invalid on certain conditions, ana our May Note sought to induce America to insist upon all belligerents obeying the laws of humanity. America’s really striking contrast to our contentions and conditions lias since justified our rcassuming full 'liberty of adfcion. Britain lias failed to abolish Germany’s isolation or even recklessly intensified it. America failed to prevail upon our enemies to respect international"law, or the laws of humanity, and America has not liinderod the more complete destruction of the freedom of the seas which she earlier wanted with our cooperation to restore. Britain' issued a further isolation declaration in the North Sea at the end of January.