A GERMAN STATEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1917, Page 3

A GERMAN STATEMENT.

IN THE REICHSTAG. SPEECH BY DR. MICHAELIS. (Per Press Association— Copyright) AMSTERDAM, July 20. _v-e*WTh.i> Reichstag was crowded, and D: -• Michaolis was ovationed. He said the submarines were doing ft they were expected, though tho hast , predictions that thoy will end tho wo at a certain cfat© had created disappoint inent. Germany does not want any vie lent increase of power. If she can ot tain an honourablo peace she will no continue the war a day longer, but sh cannot negotiate while the enemy de xnaiids portions of our territory., must obtain guarantees concerning Ger ■ many’s continuance of Overseas inter eats, also economic freedom. Govern ment supported tho people’s Army lead era, who had decided if tho enemy aban ' dons their plans for conquest and honest ly wish to negotiate for peace, we wil . r haar what they have to say. The lasrt months had been hard on Germany, bul the latter foocj was hopeful of improvement Referring fco the Internal Policj he repeated the Kaiser’s declaration o’ July 11th.: M.' Schiedermann declared he was against submarining policy, which had done more harm than good. He expressed dissatisfaction afc the vagueness of tho references to internal reform, and ' -demanded Her LLebnecht’s release. ■ . ■ A *■ The peace resolution was carried by 224.t0 116. THE KAISER’S ORDER. (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) ' COPENHAGEN, July 21. The Kaiser has ordered that neutral | ship® bo treated as enemy ships, when f they are totally, or the greater part, is owned by their enemies, on when they are chartered by an enemy Government sailing in the interests of enemy warfare. The Kaiser says this is in retaliation for the Allies maritime regulations. LLOYD GEORGE REPLIES. I TO CHANCELLOR’S SPEECH. [ AUSTRALIAN tfr N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & KEUTER.I (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 21 Lloyd George, speaking at the Belgian independence Day feast, at Queen’s Hall, referring to.the German Chancellor’s speech asked what hope there was of an honourable peace. "Ho continued -that it Was a dexterous facing of * all ways. The speech was the speech of a man awaiting the military issue. Let the Allies bear that in mind. There were phrases in the speech that the German military powers will understand, phrases about the making of frontiers. Germany secured that phraso 1 when they annexed Alsace Lorraine and drenched", Europe with blood. Sinoe 1914 that phrase if they dare will ank n<*x Belgium, and Courl'and and again * precipitate Europe in a welter of blood within a generation, unless it is out on the battlefields of Europe. STRAIGHT FROM SHOULDER SHAMS ANDSHAMS. ► MESSAGE TO GERMAN \. fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] (Received, This Day at 8.50. a.m.) - LONDON ,July 22. Hon Lloyd G«orge after saying tlia* on the whole, the German Chancellor’s speech meant that the military party has . momentarily won, ho proceeded to reaffirm that the form of Germany’s Government was the Germans own affair, but whatever the manner of Government we can trust to make peace withj that was our business. Democracy has not its guarantee of peace and if you cannot get it in Germany then w© must secure somo other guaranteo as a stituteTho Chancellor’s speech showed that Germany for the moment had elected for war. Belgium was not even mentiona in its phraseology. The full menace to Belgium makes Germany’s frontier secure and makes Metz and Strassburg safe and they will take Liege and con- | trot Antwerp in order to secure man economic interests. The determination of the Allies is Belgium must he restored, as a free independent people, not a protectorate. I read Dr. Michaelis’» speech as my duty once twice and thrice to seek anything .wherefrom I could hope for the > end of tho bloody struggle . I geo it in the sham independence of Belgium, a sham democracy of Germany, a sham peace for Europe and I It " gay Europo has-notsacrificeff.: millions of V her gallant sons, to re-establish the ) soil consecrated by their blooa, ns their sanctuary for shame. Dr. Michaelis tries 'to dope his people with illusion. ■ Germany will find these visions like

others wn- be dispelled. A DISILLUSIONMENT. NO POSSIBILITY OF BRITAIN STARVING. - .LONDON, July 22. “I am sorry to disillusion Dr. Michaeljs as the outset of his career, but truth compete me to Bhow that gradually but surely we are increasing our production and diminishing our losses at sea. .' Although our apprehensions were great during the summer months, we gradually decreased the losses. Fc>r example comparing the three weeks of July with the corresponding period of - April we have n°t lost half the number of ahips. , We will turn out in 1918> four times the number of ships wo did in 1916 In the fast two months of 1917 wo shall turn out as many ships as we did - i during the whole of last year, and we will turn out in 1918. six -times more than in 1916. IV from starving ns, owing to the .exertions of the Food Controller and shipping Controller, the food supply for 1917-18 on the basis of the present consumption, is secured Wo are arranging a' programme of cultivation that will make 1918 secure oven i Jf the losses are increased . y I don’t want the Germans to harbour delusions that they are going to put us out of this fight Dll liberty is re-established throughout the world. A great German newspaper the other day said Germany was fighting for th e freedom and the independence of the Fatherland That was (never true. Th« frs©r Germany is, /%> we

.will like it. Her rulers not the Allies j are enemies of the freedom oi Germany. ' We could mako peace wjlh a freo Germany dominated by autocracy. Since the Russian revolution and the Russian conceding tho independence of the nation under the Russian flag,’the lost shadow of a pretext of Germany fighting for freedom is banished. It is now a struggle between the groups of democracy and freedom and tho group of nations of Government bv military autocracy.