File No. 763.72119/179
The Chargé in Germany (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 12, 9.45 p. m.]
4889. The Chancellor before the Reichstag budget committee yesterday took up Grey’s statement that too much stress could not be laid on the origin of the war as influencing peace negotiations. He stated that Germany was fighting a defensive war because Russia mobilized first, supporting this statement by a careful survey of official and unofficial diplomatic documents and negotiations, one of which has not been published previously. In this connection he asserted: “We have no reason to fear a tribunal.”
He also lays some of the blame on England for stiffening the backs of France and Russia at the critical moment.
With regard to an international league for the preservation of peace he said: “Germany is at all times prepared to join a union of peoples to hold disturbers of peace in check.”
He also said that the intentions of Germany’s enemies in regard to certain annexations after the war is incompatible with a workable international league of peace, whereas he, in discussing Germany’s aims, had never indicated that the annexation of Belgium had been the Government’s aim.