Mr. White to Mr. Day.
Berlin, May 6, 1898.
Sir:
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At 10 o’clock this morning the first Reichstag, which has lasted through the constitutional period of five years, was closed by the Emperor in person by a speech, a printed copy of which, which has just been received from the foreign office, is inclosed herewith.1 After referring to the work done during the past five years in a general way, and more particularly to the work of the session just ended, the Emperor spoke of the peaceful character of Germany’s foreign policy, as a result of which the relations with all foreign powers were good, and said that in regard to the war which had broken out between Spain and the United States he considered it the task of his Government, first, to observe strict neutrality between the parties at war, and second, to prevent, as far as possible, injury to German trade and commerce.
Now that the Reichstag has been dissolved, there would no longer appear to be any doubt in regard to Germany’s not issuing a declaration of neutrality. It is true that this has not been done in other wars, so that it may correctly be said that it is not her policy to make such declarations.
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I am, etc.,
- Not printed.↩