The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-08-14

WASHINGTON, Aug 1.-THE state
department acknowledges that it had re-
ceiycd unofficial knowledge OF Pope Ben
edicts peace proposal before today's news
Dispatches were received here. No official
.cognlancc can be taken OF 1t until the
proposal is conveyed officially Whatever
consideration is given to it will be after
consultation with the allies
The apostolic delegation disclalmed all
knowledge Of the popc's proposal. II was
said the papal delegates bad not trans.
mtted il To the United States government
and did not expect 70 do 50 The opinion
was expressed tlat it would come through
neutral government.
Within the entente diplomatic circle the
.nNirn waa freely and promptly ex-
pressed that the peace proposal was in
epircd by Germany and was an attempt
10 split the allies in a conflicting discus
sion of their war aims. The extent of the
ata,e departments information does not
indicate through what channel the pro
pesal will be conveyed and gives no in
formation from which an inference might
be- drawn as to whether it will come
through one OF the allied governments oI
through digntary OF the church.
Officials were unusually explicit in say
ing that il could not be discussed unit
II came officially before the government
and were emphatic in declaring that NJ
statement whatever could be represented
ma rejecting the official view. Ii an in
ference might be drawn from the under
currcnt which was started in official cir
ocs by the report u trained Observes
could venture the opinion that the pro
poual is one which would be discussed il
good faith by the allies. but that it doe
not meet their war aims.
II was Indicated that a peace propose
coming from the pope, the first actua
proposal ot the Kind To come from til
Vatican. would necessarily have 10 bc COZ
sd,Icd carefully and that an answer cor
vitcing to the world would have to
mdc
An unofficial outline oi Pope BEN
diets peace proposals received here di
closes that the pontif includes some
the principles oi world peace for whic
President Wilson has declared Amoi
the pOpc's proposals are reduction Of d
maments freedom OF the seas, and til;
there shall be no rctalatory struggle aft
the war for world commercial euptcmac
These are regarded as the foundation
the Popc's plan
Announcement that the Spanish amba
sador ~ Rome had transmitted Po
Bcnedct'S proposals To- the Italian Cover
ment and thc opinion expressed at t
apostolic delegation here that they mig
he delivered 10 the United States by
neutral lead To the possibility that I
span sh ambassador here, Juan Riar
might convey them TO the state dcpa
mcnt The Spanish cmbassy's only inf
matluu today it was said there had be
received from The American Press
spatchcs
The popc's proposal declares that t
injury to all bclligerents has been
great there should be no sort of repal
tion except for the return of territo
Included in the restoration of terrific
the popc- proposal insists, should be
return To Germany of all her colonies
well n the complete restoration of B
gium To her sovereignty
The Pope's proposal, which already
been delivered TO the resident ambas
doris and ministers Of the warning pow
In Rome, Is quite long, making in pr
something more than column of la
newspaper type Although special
forts are being made to facilitate