SPEECH BY HERTLING.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1918, Page 3

SPEECH BY HERTLING.

THE GERMAN VIEW POINT [pub PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] AMSTERDAM February 26. Herr Hertling in the Reichstag continued : ‘, In regard to Poland, the intention was to arrange 'an agreement between the Ukraine and Poland, and it already had a reassuring effect in Polish circles. Germany intends only to claim the rectification qf her side' frontier, which is necessary through military reasons. The world is in eager expectancy now, and is asking whether a way to a general peace had been opened . ' v , The Entente leaders seemed still to he adverse to the voice of hunianitv, which was the reason, adhered to the aims of conquest, including Alsace and Lorraine . ■ There was no Alsace-Lorraine ques- / tion in an International sense. If it jl ■ existed, it was purely a German question . x The Entente claimed Austrian .ter. ritory for Italy, while England was ® fighting for the separation of Palestine and Syria .from Turkey, and l’or the German African colonies. He referred to the t intrigues to incite j neutrals against Germany. There was ] no thought of Germany violating Swiss ] neutrality. The world longs for peace; but the _ ~ jenemy Governments wapted to continue the war to an end. It wa's, however, true that, other voices were heard in EnglandT'and he trusted 'that such utterances would be more frequent. The world stands in the face of the greatest decision for all. Either tlieir enemies must decide to make > peace on which presumption we are prepared to enter negotiations or to coijtinuo the war, in which case we will continue, but the responsibility for bloodshed will fall on those who have obstinately refused to listen to the voice of humanity.

BULGARIA WITHIN. < BULGARIAN DEMANDS. ' BIG INDEMNITY WANTED. (Received This Day at 9.50. a.m.) AMSTERDAM February 27. A message from Sofia says the Foreign Minister in the Soranje is asking for a i war credit of a thousand million francs. He anticipated that the loan will not be borne by Bulgaria. This confirms the telegrams stating —' Bulgarians were demanding, in addition to Dobrudja, big economic concessions and a war indemnity of a' millard francs in gold, '