El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-08-16
POPE'S PEACE PROPOSALS ARE
HARDLY ACCEPTABLE TO ALLIES

MAY as well be taken for granted that the entente
allies and United States VIII accept the peace
proposals made the begerent nations by pope Bene
dict There the slightest chance Of their acceptance
Germany and Austria may express willingness to make
peace the terms set forth, but not the entente
The pope suggests the following peace terms. The
toration Of Belgium Serva and Ruania by the central
powers the restoration of the occupied German colonies
BY the allies peaceful solution Of the problems Of Aace
Lorraine Trent Trieste and Poland; ndemnties for
sacrifices save TO limited for Belgium and Servis
an agreement that there shall be struggle after the
for commercial supremacy guarantee against future wars
the establishment of world whose DEGREES shall
be enforced by combined military Of the nations
with ornaments to be reduced as Jar as compatible with
the maintenance Of such forces as VIII uphold the udg
ments Of the world court; agreement to maintain the
freedom Of the
Il will be seen that the proposal embodies little Of the
expressed desires all belgeens; restoration Of the
ritory the small nations from England France and
the United States; the principle Of no indemnitles from
revolutionary Russia restoration Of Ieuonc colonies from
Germany establishment of world court limitation OF
ornaments and freedom Of the seas primarily from the
United States.
The entent Will not accept the program because
restoration Of the status quo ante That IS II puts the
world back where before the began except that
several small nations would have been ruined and millions
Of lives lost vain with result for the establish
Of world court which might or might not be able
avoid future wars with the chances against its success
From dreams Of world conquest, Germany has fallen
back to willingness, even an anxiety TO return 70 tne
status quo ante Convinced that II Is no longer possible
Win, Germany IS anxious not to lose return to the
sstus quo would mean Tor the Ieuonc naons NOT losing
Austria Hungary is anxious than IS Germany
for peace Of that character, for AustraHungaTy Is
frankly heartily sick Of the and eager to end It
tomorrow, If possible
The losses all would the enteutes side, If the
pope program were adopted, for the small nations would
find their land returned but their homes laid ruins, their
land laid waste Their destroyed their people
killed OF suffering the effects Of famine and slavery There
would be little indemnity for them and for Great Br
ain France and Russia for fighting for them All the sac
ces Of all allies would have been IN vain except that
the enemy would have been prevendfor the present but
not necessarily for the futuTe-fro permanently ensaF
ing these small peoples
It Is useless to talk Of no indemnites. The Russian
dream Is impossible The small nation must be Unidentified
as far as possible for all their losses, though any proper
naturalization for the loss Of human life is impossible
The large nations must be Unidentified for their losses and
sacrifices France particularly for the losses connected with
the German occupation of French territory For Belgium
heavy compensation must be made Germany must be pun
ished for the savagey TO which Belgium has been subjected
And what Of Montenegro? The outline Of the popes pro
posas as received the United States overooks Monte
negro altogether Montenegro also must be restored and
Unidentified the nc-ndemnity plan could apply TO any OF
the allies It would apply only to Ruania There IS no great
sympathy for Rumania Rumauia frankly went out Tor
loot Ruania remained the fence, receiving offers
from both sides until she thought herself able to pick the
winner and she went, only to be herself overwhelmed Dy
the Teutous Rumania went into the war Ior prolt not
principle. and got what she deserved
The central powers might be willing TO restore their IN
occ1pied territory but would the allies be willing to re-
store the colonies they have seized? By means The
colonies are held for present IN lieu Of indemnity Who
can suppose that Japan for instance would consent 10 re-