GERMANY

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1919, Page 5

GERMANY

AFRAID OF FRANCE. FOREIGN MINISTER WANTS TO RESIGN. Received Feb. 19, 11.30 p.m. London, Feb. 17. The Frankfurter Gazytte says that Rantzau told Cabinet that he wanted to resign, because it was impossible to continue a foreign policy while France was notoriously aiming at the resumption of hostilities. Rantzau is remaining in office out of deference to tfie wishes of the Cabinet.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. FINANCIAL POSITION DESPERATE. HEAVY TAXATION NEEDED. Received Feb. 20, 1.30 a.m. Weimar, Feb. 17. Herr SchifTer, Minister of Finance, informed the Assembly that the financial position was desperate, and that the future was dependent on the Entente's demands. Germany requires to raise ninev teen billion marks by taxation, as compared with five billion prior to the war. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. EBERT ON RAW MATERIALS. London, Feb. 18. The Times correspondent at Weimar interviewed Ebert who said the conversion of war industries to civil uses I was proving easier than was expected. Numerous factories, especially textile factories would re-open as soon as raw materials were available. The Government would voluntarily impeach the Kaiser or other Germans proved responsible for making the war. Meanwhile the Kaiser, in common with all the citizens of the new Germany,' was entitled to the benefits of law and justice. Germany was bankrupt in raw materials and financially wrecked. "We can best and soonest serve the restoration of Belgium and France by putting our whole working force into stemming the tide of Germany's complete ruin We must replace the rolling stock seized by the Entente; it is essential for food distribution. I leave it to you to judge what Germany is able to do for others in this catastrophic situation." A CALL FOR NATIONAL UNITY. Received Feb. 19, 9.20 p.m. London, Feb. 18. A Berlin wireless message states that von Hindenburg has issued a proclamation to the German people stating he is returning to the eastern frontier. He calls for national unity to defend the fatherland against the'encmy and Bolshevism. He recalls the victories of Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes, and urges young - volunteers and their comrades to remember they are all Germans and unite in self-discipline and confidence in their leaders.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. RANTZAU'S RANTINGS. London, Feb. 16, ! A German wireless message says that Herr Rantzau, in the National Assembly, bitterly complained of the further pressure and threats of the Entente to obtain fresh concessions from Germany, instead of hastening peace on'the agreed Wilsonian basis of justice and reciprocity. He emphasised the fact that Germany was demobilising and replacing the old peace army by new Republican troops. The most important points in the Wilsonian programme, as recognised by both sides, imposed the obligation to submit differences with other States to an International Court of Arbitration and renounce armaments in order to present a surprise attack on a neighbour. They were prepared for both these humiliations, if their former enemies and future neighbours were subjected to the same conditions. ■ They were prepared to submit the question of blame lor the war to impartial men enjoying the confidence of all the belligerents, hence their firm adhesion to the Wilsonian principles that no war costs should go to the victor and no territory be evacuated by the conquered. They were pledged to repair the damage caused to civilians owing to the attack on the territories thev occupied and were prepared to rebuild "them with their free labor. They protested against the enemy retaining their prisoners-of-war to do such work as slaves. Their enemies owed their victory mainly, not to their military, but to their economic conduct of the war, hence the peace must not only be political but essentially economic. President Wilson rightly characterised economic freedom and equal rights as the main condition of a just and lasting peace. It might therefore be assumed that the resolution ot the ana Economic Conference in 191U would be dropped. It must be apparent that temporary dillerentiation against Germany in trade and tralhc was not acceptable to them Here was no reason to quarantine Germany if S he complied with the just i'ciee conditions, giving reasonable guarantee lor tlielr fulfilment. The bureau"■at.e sta.l of their foreign servile was -esnonsible for past mistakes in trade l'ol'cy. He had already begun to place practical and experienced business men m the loreign service with the view of method's 8 Mr "w-mißded economic He feared that their enemies were desiious of robbing Germany of her whole mercantile fleet. Any attempt to cot Pol Germany to enter the League of Naions without a mercantile fleet would be violently subversive to her economic evelopment. Freedom of trade presupuosed treedom of the seas, one of the most important Wilsonian points for Germany, nor could she enter the League ot Nations without colonies. Germany was prepared to negotiate regarding the eession of this or that colony, but only as the legitimate owner. Her future colonial policy must be one of more humane treatment of the natives He admitted that Germany had made mislakes in that direction of her activity Her missions must guarantee that the interests of the natives would be assured He agreed with the idea of international control of tropical colonies, provided all tie lowerß with colonies were subject thereto and Germany given a proportionate share of the administration and profits of the colonies. Alsace and Lorraine wore entitled to consultation regarding their future status He concluded by protesting •garnet the French designs Vthe Saar >BMjn.-Aw..JU. Cable Assn.