The Washington herald., 1917-08-15
Proposal Not Curdy Dis
missed as Others Have
Been IN Past.
etsFAUsf GOOD FAITH.
o. GERMAN LEADERS
esb<s DIPLOMATS Refuse An Com
nent on Acsoa Of Pontia
Fowerd Peace.


OnosASs OF every sort are handling
Iass report q the Port's note N the
besAserssss IN such a singerlz man
per that al Nashinston is coovi,ced
,esat the sstustson Il presnant rifb
resi possrbsitses OF peace.
tumors OF peace, suggestiors of
peace, and terms of peace 1yhgch
have hitherto filtered 20 the y.ot,ed
Fss7tes. have been invariably mel win
a repudia.i almost scorphu No
such treatment was accorded the re-
port Of the Vstican's move
Secretary Of Stafs Ians5or voI,,n
.teersd the information that he bsd
AnoWn informally OF such a move
Tor several days.
Last night he absolutely rc.use5 "a
De Questioned about IL. The lstter
,'ositlon was taken after he rad at
tehaed the Cabinet meeting. IL Is
supposed 10 have been susEested bv
the President. Ds
me papal legation and The Spanish
Embassy here refuse rn aay ri.5nne-
20 De interviewed or to deny or a.
h.m that the note has arrived
me whole situation is being han
uieo with gloves Of the softest I'd
Diplomats silent.
Allied and neutral diplomat. sr.
guaroeo1y commenting TO the sssct
mat mat this may be Germany's crv
Fhey do not accuse the Vatican
OF playing in Germany's game
nat Ihey do say is that PoDa
benedict praying and WORKING for
peace Tor years, may now bays
round through Austria a wfIIinr-
ness on the part of Germany 10
make an orr which the TTnf,e5
sIates and the entente will consider
einbers OF the Senate and House
Orelgh committees alike refused
- ~ oner comment last night on the
ropes peace proposals 70 the he'll
ligerents- Many Of them side-st.n-
ped discussion Of the subject out =,
deference to the State Departnnent
which has yet to be acquainted o.
ncislly with the nature OF the pro-
poSais' here was hopefulness.
however among many Senator and
hepre zen tatives that the move Of
the Pope might lead 10 a general
discussion OF peace.
Refuses Comment.
4 Henry D. Flood. chair
--Iau Ca The House Foreign ATairs
Committee. fatty declined 10 discuss
the matter in any way. as did bfs
colleaEUes on the committee EouaI
reticence was maintained bv Sen
ators who are entrusted with the
task OF passing upon the nations
foreign affairs.
Several pUrported sketches Of IN.
terms contained in the Vatican NOT.
were circulated in Washington YES
terday. The identity Of several term.
IN these SKETCHES gave color to thsiry
authenticity. ,
FurtherTr yre~these terms meet IN q
remarkable way the general demands
which President Wilson has from
time 10 time voiced for Peace With
out Victory"
Outline of Terms.
Here are the alleged terms as they
were repeated in the various ruuors:
The reduction OF armaments.
The freedom OF the seas.
Restoration OF Belgium, Servia AMI
an autonomous il not an independent
Poland.
Restoration Of Germany's colonies.
The determination Of the status OF
and Italy, and wholly distastefuI 20
abide the decisions Of the afterwar
conference.
The bitterness Of conflict to END
with the last shot. No economic war
after the war.
Doubt Good Faith.
Diplomats in discussing these terms
divide them into two classes. In the
first they place those which Germany
might now be willing to grant i'm
mediately. These include the restora-
ton Of the territory occupied by Ger
many in ret-rn for German colonies.
The others. diplomats believe. are
either tempting bats which Germany
might hold out now and then irbt
against so bitterly In a conference
that there would be no chance Of an
q agreement.
In the Interpretation which NAV be
placed upon these terms they see both
hope and despair Of peace.
May Enter Discussion.
II Pope Benedlc. has assurances OF
such definite character as 10 guarantee
the Performance by the central
powers Of such agreements as they
put forth now it will mean that the
allies will in all probability be willing
TO enter into a discussion.
There might even be an arlnlstice
with the opposing forces holding tho
lines upon which they now sit.
But, II the Pope is not able TO az
tribute the offer of these terms and
willingness to abide by them al
rectly 10 the central powers. they
will bring forth only = respectful and
formal expression OF appreciation Of
the Pope's efforts.
In other words the allies must be
=
for mercy before they let up.
A further distinction is made here
already with regard to the peace