KAISER'S MESSAGE TO HIS ARMY AND NAVY.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 7 March 1917, Page 6

KAISER'S MESSAGE TO HIS ARMY AND NAVY.

Germany has proposed that peace negotiations should be opened, but she wants to retain her Fleet! A note to the Entente Powers, read by the Chancellor, contained the following points:—"ln August, 1914, .our enemies challenged the superiority of power in the world war. To-day we raise the question of peace, which is a question of humanity. We expect that the answer of our enemies will be given with that sereneness of mind which is guaranteed to us by our exterior and innner strength and clear conscience. If our enemies decline, and wish to take upon themselves the world's heavy burden of all those terrors which thereafter will follow them even in the least and smallest homes, every German heart fill burn in sacred wrath against our enemies, who are unwilling to stop human slaughter in order that their plans of conquest and annihilation may continue. "In a fateful hour we took a fateful decision. God will be judge. We can proceed on our way without fear and unashamed. We are ready for fighting, and we are ready for peace. The most terrific war ever experienced in history has been raging almost two years and a" half over a large part of the world, a catastrophe which thousands .of years of common civilisation Was unable to prevent, and which injure the most precious achievements of humanity. The spiritual and material progress, which was the pride of Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century, is threatened with ruin. "Germany and her Allies —AustriaHungary, Bulgaria and Turkey—gave proof of their unconquerable strength in this struggle. They haVe gained gigantic advantages over adversaries superior in number and war material. Our lines stand unshaken against the ever-repeated attempts made by armies of enemies. The last attack in the Balkans has been rapidly and victoriously overcome. Our aims are not to shatter nor annihilate our adversaries. In spite of our consciousness of our military and economic strength and our readiness to continue the war —which has been forced upon us—until the bitter end, if such be necessary, at the same time, prompted by the desire to avoid further bloodshed and to make an end of the atrocities of war, the four Allied Powers propose to enter forthwith into peace negotiations." According to an unofficial statement from the German Embassy in Washington, Germany's peace terms include the return of territory to the status existing befor e the war. The exceptions are the establishment of the important kingdoms of Poland and Lithuania and some readjustment of the independent boundaries in the Balkans. The terms also include the evacuation of Northern France and the restoration of the Kingdom of Belgium. The Kaiser has also issued the following army order: —"Under the influence of the victory, which you have gained by your bravery, I and the monarchs of the three States in alliance with me have made an offer of peace to the enemy. It is uncertain whether the object to which this offer is aimed will be reached. You will have, meanwhile, with God's help, to continue to resist and defeat the enemy." The same order has been addressed to the Imperial Navy, with the following additional words:"This order is also addressed to my Navy, which in the common fight has loyally and effectively staked all its strength"