A YEAR OF WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1915, Page 5

A YEAR OF WAR.

KAISER'S MANIFESTO. "GOD IS WITH US." .■ MORE CROCODILE TEARS. Berlin, August 1. The Kaiser, in a manifesto to the Cennan people on the'year just elapsed, says:— : "Since I was obliged to call the German people to arms an unprecedented time of bloodshed lias befallen Europe and the world. Before God and history my conscience k clear. I did not will the war. After preparations for a whole decade, the coalition Powers, for whom Germany was becoming too great, believed the moment had come to humiliate the Empire, which had stood loy-

ally beside an ally in a just cause, or to 1 crush it by overwhelming and encircling fdttes. Xo lust of conquest drove us into the war. When all able-bodied men rushed to the colors in August, and our troops , marched to a defensive war, every German on earth felt he was lighting for the highest good of the nation, for its life, its freedom. What awaits us if the enemy succeed in determining the fate of our people and Europe has, been shown by the hardships endured by my dear province, East Prussia. "The consciousness that the fight was forced upon us has accomplished miracles. Political conflicts have been silenced, old opponents h£vc begun to understand and esteem each other, and the spirit of comradeship has governed the entire people. In full gratitude, i' can say that God was ./itli us. The enemies' arrniei, who boasted that they would enter Berlin in a few months, have been driven back. Heavy blows in the Far East, West, on numberless

battlefields in various parts of Europe and naval battles on near and distant coasts testify to what German anger in self defence and German strategy can do.

"No violation of international laws by our enemies is able to shake the economic foundation of our conduct of

the war. The community of agriculture, industry, commerce, science, and technical arte have endeavored to soften the stress of wrfr. Appreciating the necessity of measures for the free inter-

course of goods, and being wholly devoted to the care of their brethren in the field, the papulation have exerted their utmost strength to parrv the common danger. "With deep gratitude the Fatherland to-day remembers, and will ever remember, its warriors, those who, defying death, show a bold front to the enemy, those who are wounded or have eome •back ill, those ahtive all iyho rest from battle on foreign soil or at the bottom of the sen. I grieve with the mothers,

widows, and orphans of the beloved ones who died for the Fatherland. The internal strength and the unanimous national will in the spirit of the founders of the Empire guarantee victory. The dykes which they erected in anticipation tiiat ii we once moved we should have to defend what we gained in 1870, have defied the highest title in the world's history.

"After unexpect»d proofs of personal ability and national energy, I cherish the bright confidence that the German people, faithfully preserving the purification which thev acquired through the war, wiil vigorous!.- proceed along the old tried path= and confidently enter n;-w ones. Great trialhave made tl'.e nation firm in heart and in heroic action. We will suffer ami work without wavering until peace come-, a peace which offers the necessary military, political, and economic guarantees for the future—the conditions necessary for the unhindered development of our producing energv at home and on the free sea-:. Thus we shall emerge with honor from a war for Germany's right and freedom. However long the war may last it will be a worthy victory before God, whom we pray may henceforward lles s our arms."

RUSSIAN OPTIMISM. WILL FIGHT. TO THE F.XD. Petrograd, August 1. Newspapers, on the anniversary of the war, repeat tlic Tsar's words of Augu-1, 1014: "We will not conclude peace until the last enemy lias left our land." The Bourse Gazette prints a message in the allied languages, stating: ''For a year the enemy has been threatening the freedom of the world. We deeply appreciate the self-sacrifice of our allies, who are exerting combined west-ure on all sides. We have firm confidence in victory ill the community's interests and in final triumph. This the nation's spirit. It was our pruidiiig star through a year of bloodshed, and it will serve 113 in the coming months. There may he years of terrible struggle. Russia greets her allies, and hails their heroic loyalty to stand by her to tlic end."