Turning to the reconstruction after the war, the Chancellor said
:—
"Herr Asquith speaks of the principle of nationalities. When he does that, and if he can put himself in the place of his unconquered and invincible enemy—can he really suppose that Germany would ever again of her free will surrender to the rule of reactionary Russia the peoples that have been liberated by Germany and her allies between the Baltic Sea and the Volhynian swamps, be they Poles, Lithuanians, Baits, or Letts ? No, gentlemen, not a second time shall Russia be allowed to mobilize her armies on the unprotected frontier of East and West Prussia. (Storms of applause.)' As with Russian provinces, so with Belgium. There could be an return to the statue quo ante. Belgium must not be made into an Anglo-French vassal State, or into a military and economic bulwark against Germany. The "long-oppressed Flemish race" could not be given over again to Latinization. At this point the Socialist, Herr Liebknecht, who interrupted the Chancellor throughout with sardonic remarks, not unnaturally shouted out 7 Hypocrisy!"
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