The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-15

sN1}AJ0xucS8 W Wy AAAN'a 49,
- the central empires, they VIII
TAG forth only a respectful and
eEynal expression o. appreciation OF
- ~ pcpe's efforts.
.8 IA other words. the allies must be
@rotfy sure that 1t is Germany crying
&or mercy before they let UP.
s% 4 further distinction is made here
N1rendy with regard TO the peace
Aerns suggested. That is that some ~
F4hem may be perfectly agreeaple 10
1AA United States. France. Russia ana
1eAly, aud wholly distasteful TO Eng
had
OnGiAnd, 1t Is believed, will hold
s&ut stifYly Cor the retention or the
8oSmAn colonies. Japan "a @NpsStS"
I - follow her lead.
The cas- nope for bringing Engiaho
Into agreement with the rest OF the
allies en- such proposition lies IL,
che SUCCESS Of tire British labor ana
NDciaiist InovmeutS--aad that is
movement which none Of the govern
uaents, allied or central-!s anxious 10
encourage
In framing opinions az tho German
ofikin OF the alleged peace terms OF
the reputed papal note. diplomats are
carefully weighing two recent circum-
stances First. they are taking re-
newed interest In the success or fa1i-
ure OF the Flanders drive Second,
they are making every effort to learn
the significance Of the recent visit or
Premier Michaelis to Vienna, ana 10
check up the communications when
NAV have passed between Vienna and
Rome during the past three weeks
Costly TO Roth Sides.
Actual results OF the FLANDERS drive
afford little consolation to the allies.
II Ia an open secret here that the
rains have been incomm ensurate with
the expended effort. Diplomats are
wondering. however. as to whether
The German defense has not been even
more costly than the allied attack.
II the German reserves are being gen
orally depleted in counter attacks. ii
may be that Germany alone knows
no winminent is the collapse of her
military forces In vnsidering the
Importance OF DR.. Michaelis visit to
Vienna and conmun icatious between
Emperor Charles and Pope Benedict
Yhe diplomats are inclined to credit
the pope with full knowledge Of the
German situation.
But in their very authenticity the
peace terms suggested here have their
weakness. II Germany is prepared TO
bargain now for peace. one diplomat
said today. Germany Is close TO de-
feat in the field. And with victory
in the field within their grasp, the
European members OF the entente viii
not, II is believed, withhold the knock
out blow. The advantage would be all
theirs In the after war conferences.
IL they were now to wrest from Ger
smany her military successes.
y Futile Until Germany Is Beaten.
VI This has been the attitude Of the
administration here up IN ten days
ago. Talk of peace in congress has
been greeted by the whisper from the
other end OF PENNSYLVANIA avenue that
kuch talk was futile until Germany
had been beaten
The persistence Of this talk not only
in congress, but in many other places
In the country may have changed
President Wilson's view as his view
has been changed before II was re
erarded as significant that Secretary
Lansing so carefully withheld COM
ment after the cabinet meeting Of
today
NJ 1t is not considered unlikely that
the president will take up the vatican
terms for informal discussion with
the allies The attitude of the allies
will be promptly revealed Then will
come the time for an admission or de
NAL by Germany az to her willingness
to abide bv these terms II is only
then that their real value can be de-
termined
II remains the outstanding feature
OF the time of their first suggestian,
viewing the suggestion with greatest
respect.
Washington, Aug 4-1mmediate
resignation of Colonel Robert NJ
Thompson and other active officers Of
the navy league. is requested in let
ter sent to Colonel Thompson by Sec
Rotary OF the Navy Daniels, and made
public tonight
Y Secretars r4nieis graduates hts re
quest on the alleged falsitv Of A state
nent put out hy the navy league init
mating that the investigation or the
explosion Of the Marc Island navy yard
on July . has been held NJ by orders
from, navy officials, acting under in
nuence exerted ny powerful labor in
terests"
Secretary Daniels letter is a bitter
arraIgnment Of the present officials Of
the Navy league. Of which Colonel
Thompson Is president. In supple
mental statement, Secretary Daniels
goes further. He characterizes the ac-
ton OF the Navy league and its Off
GERS as too contemplate to deserve
notice"
In his letter Secretary Daniels re-
fers to an offer from the Navy league
to cooperate with the navy depart
ment in every manner possible and a
suggestion from Colonel Thompson
that the present administration in the
organization was ready to resign if
deemed proper by Mr.. Daniels He
then says:
I'm view. however. OF the false and
slanderous statement gi"en out today
by the Navy league, I am writing To
say that the chief service which you
and the other active officials of the
Navy league can render to the navy
Is TO resign at once and permit the
league 10 be directed by those who in
q crisis like the present could not per-
nit a statement TO be given out to
the public which attempts 10 iiscredi,
the entire navy department and which
will be ready with disgust and con.
tempt by every honest citizen Of Amer,
lea"
The supplemental statement madt
by Secretary Daniels, after reviewing
the efforts made by the navy depart
ynent to solve the mystery OF the Mare
leland explosion, concludes:
The attention OF the public is in
vited TO the deliberate attempt Of tn,
responsible agent OF the Navy leseu,