AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1917, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

THE CHANCELLOR'S STATEMENT. WILFUL PERVERSION OF FACTS. Amsterdam. February 27. In tlio Reichstag, 11-■ ir von lii.-tli-mann-llollwcg said that Germany, bv granting new war credits, hail demonstrated to the world her readiness to fight. Until the Entente was ready to make peace it would lie unproductive for Germany to detail her conditions of peace. Her aim was reparation /or the wrongs she had su.Tercd and a guarantee for Iter future existence as a strung Ueimany. Tliev were more resolute than ever. President Wilson's brusque breaking off of relations was unprecedented in history. GERMANY'S SOLE AIM. REPARATION AM) GUARANTEES. RIDING Till-; llliilt HORSE. A BID FOR NEUTRALS' SUPPORT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. Received Feb. 2S, .">.2S p.m. London, February 27. Continuing, Tlcrr von IJethmami-.Holi-weg said: "Our one necessity is to light to gain victory. Our soldiers stand in the trenches, our submarine?, defying death, hasten through the seas, and our home, people are tireless in producing ammunition and food. We realise there must be an intensified life in the future It is premature to participate in a debate on peace, for it would be unproductive as well as precarious to make promises or formulate detailed conditions. The hostile leaders are doing this abundantly, giving extravagant assurances to one another, but their example does not tempt inc. Our aim is solely to obtain reparation and future guarantees Nothing more and nothing less. Tile Entente's answer to the peace, oft'er was more rude and presumptions than any neutral could imagine. The effect of the Entente's document of barbarism ami hatred was soon manifest to the whole world, for our alliances and fronts stand tirm, anil the nation is more united and resolute than ever." THE HARRF.D ZONE. Referring to the barred zone around England, France ami Italy, the Chancellor said: "We do nut under-estilnatc the difficulties caused to neutral shipping, and' are, therefore, endeavoring to qlieviate them as much as possible, and also to do the utmost in our power towards supplying neutrals with raw materials, coal anil iron. We know that only England's tyranny on the seas causes these difficulties. We shall break this enslavement of all the non-English trade, and will meet half-way all neutrals' wishes wherewith it is possible to comply, but, while thus endeavoring, we can never go beyond the limits imposed on us by our irrevocable decision to reach our aim in the establishment of barred zones. We are certain that, later, the neutrals will thank us for our firmness, because the freedom of oceans we are gaining bv fighting will also secure advantages for them."

Herr Ilolhvcg added: "We have not received the authentic reasons for President Wilson's, brusque step. Mr. Gerard, earlier, merely intimated verballj that the United States would break otf relations and asked for his this being tl.a form for severing relations between great nations living in peace. It is probably unprecedented that President Wilson is reported as telling Congress that Germany's Note of .January .'il suddenly, and without ivarning, withdrew her solemn promises given in the Note of May, 1910, therefore the)!! was no choice but to break it off. If President Wilson -was correctly reported, then," said Herr Holl!veg,."\ve must decidedly protest.' 1 AMERICA UNDER THE LASH. ATTEMPTED JUSTIFICATION OF SUBMARINING. THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS. . Received Feb. 2S, C.5 p.m. London, February 28. Herr Bethmann-Hollwegg continued: "For over a icntury friendly relations have been carefully promoted between Gcmany and America, and both countries have benefited thereby, but since the outbreak of war things in America liave changed, the oid principles being overthrown. President Wilson, during the 1!113 Mexican troubles, declared tliat he intended to adhere to the best usages of internationality, and that lie 'would not supply arms to either Mexican party. Apparently Jie no longer eousideied thai those usages were good, for .n 1!)14 he supplied war material to the lintente. The jealousy wherewith President Wilson upheld the rights of the iVmcricans to freely travel and to trade with the Entente (even the munitions trade was paid for in German blood) was apparent, but the same right of American citi7ens towards the Central I'owers was not deemed equally valuable or worthy oi' protection. America had protested that some of England's measures were contrary to international law, but submitted to thoni. I must protest, with equal decisiveness, against America's objection that the manner of our withdrawal from the assurances of the May Note offended America's honor jind dignity. We, from the beginning,! expressly declared that the assurances would be invalidated under certain conditions. Our May Note sought to induce America to insist on all belligerents obeying the laws of humanity. America, presented a really striking contrast, and our contentions and condition* had since justified our resuming full liberty of action. England failed to abolish Germany's isolation, and even recklessly intensified it. while America failed to prevail on our enemies to respect international law and the laws of humanity. America had not hindered the more complete destruction of the freedom of the seas which she earlier wanted, with our co-operation, to restore, and England had issued a further isolation by her declaration of closing the North Sea at the end of January. Therefore it was not surprising that we considered the freedom of the seas had not been established. THEATRICAL FIREWORKS. "We, who were ready for peace by mutual understanding, now tight for life [against an enemy who. from the beginnins. cut its heel upon the recognised

laws of the nations. America might have enforced the cessation of bloodshed, instead of in a one-sided fashion upholding international law against u.s i alone. Why didn't England endanger; American lives? Only because Americ < submitted to English measures. Wlia! would have happened if America ha;, valued her trade with Bremen and Ham- j burg equally with that oi Liverpool an : London? The American break oil \va- t coupled with the attempted mobilis*.' tion of all neutrals against Germany, j That would not assist in obtaining the freedom of the seas, nor would it promote Unit peace at which America aims. Instead of that it would tend to multiply bloodshed. We regret the rupture with a nation seemingly predestined to work with us in our common ideals. '•England contends that to use submarines is the greatest rime in history, hrau-e she considers herself the ordain(d ruler of the ocean. Sir Percy Scott, in 1014, predicted submarine warfare and declared it would not contravene international laws. A VILE CHARGE. Herr Hollv.eg charged England with the, systematic extermination of Boer rt'onicn and children, adding that shj now sought by the same method to force 70,000,000 into submission. A BOAST AND A SNEER. "Our submarine successes," added H'erf flollweg. "surpass the navy's expectations, and have discouraged neutral shipwing. It is imposibie to give definite results of submarining, as the reports of a large proportion of the submarines 'lave not been received, because they ar# 'till voyaging, but the reported successes are great. The enemy does not publish his complete losses. We aro iware of the incomparable bravery oi the submarines, and we want in full confidence the developments which v. ill be increasingly important to the women ind children of German who have heroine heroes by facing the sufferings and want through the hard winter which lias justp assed. We have been morally strengthened by the scornful refusal of our peace offer. SAFE, CONFIDENT AND VICTORIOUS. "Wo are safely protected on our land fronts by the genius of our supreme command. We are victorious upon the ■ea, and are many times more prepared for a submarine war than wo were a year ago. Wo confidently look to the reining months for a happy termination of the war. A TRAIN WRECKED. GERMAN PRISONERS FROM RUSSIA | KILLED. [ Stockholm, February 2S. A Swedish Red Cross train, conveying exchanged German prisoners- from Russia, left the rails in Norrland. Fout carriages were wrecked and 05 Germans buried in the debris. It is believed all were killed except six. GERMANISING BOHEMIA. Copenhagen, February 27. The reorganisation of the constitution of Austria-Hungary has commenced at Germany's instigation. It aims at paralysing the National Czech movement. Ib divides Bohemia into twelve counties, four pure German, five Czech and three mixed. It reduces the authority of file Bohemian Landtag. German will be the State language. HOSTILITY TOWARDS lIOLLWEG. Copenhagen, February 27. Herr von Betlnnann-Hollweg's • antagonists wrote to the Kaiser demanding a new Chancellor and accusing Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg with allying himself with Herr Seheidmann. Thirty of Admiral von Tirpitz's leading supporters have organised a newspaper and platform campaign demanding that Hindenburg become Chancellor. Socialists and Liberals ridicule the' movement. CpRMAN-IRISH LEAGUE FORMED. Times Service. Picceived Feb. '2B, 5.45 p.m. Amsterdam, February 27. A German-Irish League has been established in Berlin to support and initiate enterprises designed to promote German-Irish relations. ITALY ... TOLA BOMBED. Rome, Feb. 27. Au airship dropped a ton of explosives on l'ola.