Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-13
Note Presented by Teuton
Minister to Vatican Says
Kaiser Willing to End
War for Humanity's
Sake.
FIGHTING IN SELF DEFENSE
Communication Says Enemies
Unable to Shatter Armies
of Teutons.
SURE OF \ OWN STRENGTH

Berlin, Dec l2-(By Wireless to
Sayville. 1.-The note presented by DR.,
Won Muhlberg, German minister to
the Vatican. to. Cardinal. Gasparri,
papal secretary of state, follows:
According to instructions received,
| have the honor to send to your emf
nence a copy of the declaration which,
by the good Offices of the powers en-
trusted with the protection of German
interests in the countries with which
the German empire is in a state of
war, has been transmitted to these
states and in which the imperial gov
ernment declares itself ready to en-
ter into peace negotiations. The Ans
tro-Hungarian, Turkish and Bulgarian
governments also have sent similar
notes"
Reasons Are Manifest.
THE reasons which prompted Ger
many and her allies to take this step
are manifest. For two years and a
half a terrible war has been devos-
tating the continent. Unlimited treas
ures of civilization have been de-
stroyed. Extensive acres have been
soaked with blood. Millions OF brave
soldiers have fallen in battle and mil
lions have returned home as invalids.
Grief and sorrow fill almost every
house.
mot only upon the belligerem ma
tions but also upon neutrals the de-
structive consequences Of the gigantic
struggle weigh heavily. Trade and
commerce, carefully built up in years
of peace, have been depressed. The
best forces of the nations have been
withdrawn from the production of
useful objects.
An Immense War Camp.
Europe, which formerly was de-
vovted to the propagation of religion
land civilization, which was trying to
find solutions for social problems and
was the home of science and art and
all peaceful labor, now resembles an
immense war camp in which the
achievements and works of many
decades are doomed to annihilation.
Germany is carrying on a war of
defense against her enemies, which
aim at her dstruction She fights to
assure the integrity Of her frontiers
and the liberty of the German nation,
for the right which she claims to de-
velop freely her intellectual and eco
nomic energies in peaceful competi-
ton and on an equal footing with
other nations.
! Iron Wall Impenetrable.
"All the efforts TO her enemies are
unable to shatter the heroic armies
'of the Teutonic allies, which protect
the frontiers of their countries,
strengthened by the certainty that the
enemy shall never pierce the iron
wall.
Those fighting on the front know
that they are supported by the whole
nation, which is inspired by love for
its country and is ready for the great
est sacrifices and determined to de-
iend to the last extremity the inher-
tied treasure of intellectual and
economic work and the social or
ganization and sacred soil of the
country.
Certain of our own strength, but
realizing Europe's sad future if the
war continues; seized with pity in the
face of'the unspeakable misery of hu-
manity, the German empire, in accord
with her allies, solemnly reperats
what the chancellor already has de-
clared year ago, that Germany is
ready to give peace to the world by
setting before the whole world the
question whether or not it is posi-
Bile to find basis for an understand
ing.
Efforts of Pope.
Since the first day of the pontihcal
reign, his holiness, the pope, has un-
swervingly demonstrated in the most
generous fashion his solicitude for the
innumerable victims of this war. He
has alleviated the sufferings and
ameliorated the fate of thousands OF
men injured by this catastrophe. In
spired by the exalted ideas of his
ministry, his holiness has seized every
opportunity in the interest of hu.
manity to end so sanguinary a war.
The imperial government is firmly
confident that the initiative of the four
powers will find friendly welcome
on the part of his holiness and that
the work Of peace can count upon the
precious support of the holy sec,
"lf, in spite of this offer of peace
and reconciliation the struggle should
go on, the four allied powers are re.
solved to continue to victorious end
but they disclaim responsibility for
this before humanity and history. The
imperial government through the
good Offices of your excellency, asks
the government OF (here is inserted
the name of the neutral power ad.
dressed in each instance) to bring this
communication to the knowledge OF
the government of (here are inserted
the names of the belligerents.)"