New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2 | Page 2

Not Available
MINISTER JULES GUESDE.
"REVOLUTION!" COMPOSURE IS NECESSARY. PRESSURE
FOR PEACE. HUGO HAASE AT BRUSSELS. HAASE IN THE
REICHSTAG. GERMAN SOCIALISTS DIVIDED. SOCIALISTS
STILL GERMANS. "CRITIQUE OF WEAPONS." SOCIALISTS OF
ITALY FIRM. BRITISH MANIFESTO. KEIR HARDIE'S
QUESTIONS. REPLY TO MINISTER GREY. MR. MACDONALD
REPENTS.
* * * * *

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
WILHELM II.

AUGUSTA VICTORIA
T. VON BETHMANN-HOLLWEG
COUNT LEOPOLD BERCHTOLD.
SIR EDWARD GREY
W.L. SPENCER CHURCHILL
RENE VIVIANI
STATE COUNCILLOR SAZONOF
HIS HOLINESS THE LATE POPE PIUS X.
WOODROW WILSON
ALBERT KING OF THE BELGIANS
CARTON DE WIART
PHILIPP SCHEIDEMANN
JULES GUESDE
EMIL VAN DER VELDE
KEIR HARDIE M.P.
* * * * *

WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY?
THE CASE FOR GERMANY

* * * * *

SPEECHES BY KAISER WILHELM II.

* * * * *

From the Balcony of the Palace, Berlin, July 31, 1914.
A fateful hour has fallen for Germany.
Envious peoples everywhere are compelling us to our just defense.
The sword is being forced into our hand. I hope that if my efforts at the
last hour do not succeed in bringing our opponents to see eye to eye
with us and in maintaining peace we shall with God's help so wield the
sword that we shall restore it to its sheath again with honor.
War would demand enormous sacrifices of blood and property from the
German people, but we should show our enemies what it means to
provoke Germany.
And now I commend you to God. Go to church. Kneel down before
God and pray for His help for our gallant Army.
* * * * *

* * * * *

FORGIVES ENEMIES.
Kaiser Wilhelm's Speech from the Balcony of the Palace, Berlin, Aug.
2.
I thank you for the love and loyalty shown me. When I enter upon a

fight let all party strife cease. We are German brothers and nothing else.
All parties have attacked me in times of peace. I forgive them with all
my heart. I hope and wish that the good German sword will emerge
victorious in the right.
* * * * *
[Illustration: WILHELM II., German Emperor. (_Photo from Charles E.
Ritzmann._)]

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE.
Kaiser Wilhelm II., Opening Special Session of the Reichstag in White
Room of the Royal Palace, Berlin, Aug. 4.
Honored Sirs: It is in an hour fraught with fate that I have assembled
about me all the representatives of the German people. For almost half
a century we have been able to keep to the path of peace. The attempts
to attribute a warlike temperament to Germany and to circumscribe its
position in the world have often put to severe tests the patience of our
people. With unswerving honesty, my Government, even in provoking
circumstances, has pursued as its highest aim the development of all
moral, spiritual, and economic powers. The world has been witness
how tirelessly we strove in the first rank during the pressure and
confusion of the last few years to spare the nations of Europe a war
between the great powers.
The very grave dangers which had arisen owing to the events in the
Balkans appeared to have been overcome, but then the murder of my
friend, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, opened up a great abyss. My
high ally, the Emperor and King Francis Joseph, was compelled to take
up arms to defend the security of his empire against dangerous
intrigues from a neighboring State. In the pursuit of her proper interests
the Dual Monarchy has found her path obstructed by the Russian
Empire. Not only our duty as an ally calls us to the side of
Austria-Hungary, but on us falls also the mighty task of defending the

ancient community of culture of the two kingdoms and our own
position in the world against the attack of hostile powers. With a heavy
heart I have been compelled to mobilize my army against a neighbor
with whom it has fought side by side on so many fields of battle. With
sincere sorrow I saw a friendship broken of which Germany had given
faithful proofs. The Imperial Russian Government, yielding to the
pressure of an insatiable nationalism, has taken sides with a State which
by encouraging criminal attacks has brought on the evil of this war.
That France, also, placed herself on the side of our enemies could not
surprise us. Too often have our efforts to arrive at friendlier relations
with the French Republic come in collision with old hopes and ancient
malice.
Honored Sirs: What human insight and power could do to arm a people
against the last extremities has been done with your patriotic help. The
hostility which has been smouldering for a long time in the East and in
the West has now burst into bright
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code

 / 174
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.