File No. 763.72/2884
The Chargé in Germany (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 29, 3.05 p. m.]
4401. The Chancellor addressed the Reichstag to-day at 3 o’clock at its reassembly. His speech, in which there was no mention of America, aroused no enthusiasm nor were there any of the rumored demonstrations against the Chancellor by the Conservatives and National Liberals. The climax of the speech and the only portion which was heartily cheered both from the galleries and the floor of the House was an attack against England as the most selfish and unscrupulous of Germany’s enemies ending with the assertion that any statesman who neglected to use all possible practical and serviceable means of defense against such an enemy, “either from motives of forbearance or from ancient ideas of mutual understanding, deserved to be hanged.” He then spoke bitterly of the secret attacks which had been made recently against him on the score that he was a statesman of the kind described. The first part of the speech dealt entirely with Italy’s declaration of war against Germany and the entry [of Roumania. He said the causes of the war] were French desire for revenge, Russian lust for conquest, and England’s “policy of encirclement” and desire for supreme world power. He insisted on Germany’s readiness for peace; quoted Briand’s recent speech that France wished guarantees for the future and a peace which would make possible international agreements and stated that Germany wanted these also. In conclusion he spoke in general terms about more extensive participation by the people as a whole in the conduct of the Government more in accordance with the manner in which the whole people had assisted in the defense of the country. He said that though Germany had had serious losses in men and materials on the west front and that it was expected that a few other villages would be lost, the Allies would never break through.
Following the Chancellor’s speech a motion of the Center (both the same) Party to postpone the discussion, in full session, of the speech and the foreign policy to Thursday, and to discuss certain aspects of both in secret committees, was adopted by a large majority receiving the support of the regular wing of the Socialists. The Socialist Labor wing moved that the discussion take place at once, but received no support from the rest of the House.
In his opening address the President of the Reichstag laid great stress upon the importance of the arrival in America of the submarine ships of commerce Deutschland and Bremen.
[For a statement that the Chancellor and his opponents had agreed to drop the submarine issue for the present in order “to avoid embarrassing the President, should he desire to act on the matter dealt with in the Ambassador’s highly confidential telegram 4375,1 September 23, 5 p. m. [25, 7 p. m.],” see telegram No. 4439, October 7, 1916, received October 8, from the Chargé in Germany, post, page 293.]