Evening star., 1917-09-22
The Evening Star Nswspapsf Company
l1th st. and Pennsylvania Avenue.
The Teutonic Peace Replies.

Austria and Germany might as we'll
the Pope's peace proposal, so alike in
their generalities are the separate notes
that have just been presented. As con-
tributions to the cause of peace they are
worthless. They are merely documents
of defamation. In only one respect
do they strike practical note, if their
suggestions of disarmament and arbi
tration may be so styled. Both replies
are in the style of special pleading.
They disclaim responsibility for the
world catastrophe and. express abhor
renee for the universal suffering that it
entails. In the case of the Austrian en-
peror there is perhaps more definitely
has undoubtedly sought for peace from
the hour of his accession to the throne.
But he has been tied to the German
chariot wheel throughout. and is today
helpless to move as an independent fac
tor for the restoration of peace.
In neither of the two notes is there
or reparations for injuries inflicted, The
German note particularly is devoid of
any definitions Of a peace basis beyond
the simultaneous and reciprocal disarm-
ament suggestion and the substitution
OF arbitration for war as means of
settling international questions. 1t does
not even by inference accept the pro-
posals of the Pope, which were them
selves somewhat specific on practical
questions.
The German reply is of chief interest
because of its iteration of the thought
that the Emperor of Germany has been
one of the principal exponents of peace
in the world. The following extracts
from the note are interesting evidences
Of the persistent desire of the kaiser to
maintain the role of eonservator of the
worlds tranquility:
"The kaiser since taking over the gov
ernment has regarded it as his prin-
eipal and most sacred task to preserve
the blessings Of peace for the German
people and the world The
kaiser promised June 25, 1889 that his
love of the German army and his posi-
tion toward it should never lead him
into temptation to cut short the benefits
Of peace unless war were a necessity,
forced on us by an attack on the empire
or its allies. After the war
had broken out against his wish and de-
sire, the kaiser, in conjunction with his
high allies. was the first solemnly to de-
clare his readiness to enter into peace
negotiations. The imperial
government greets with special sympa-
thy the leading idea of the peace appeal
wherein his holiness expresses the CON
viction that in the future the material
power of arms must be superseded by
the moral power of right. No
people has more reason than the Ger
man people to wish that instead of uni
versal hatred in battle a conciliatory
fraternal spirit should prevail between
nations"
1t is, of course, futile to combat this
pretense. The work in hand for the
United States and its allies is to defeat
Germany in the field so long as the pres
ent form Of government prevails in that
country and the German people are un-
able or unwilling to secure for them
selves responsible government based
upon democratic principles which can
be trusted in the future to preserve the
peace by faithful adherence to the treat
lee and observance Of international law