Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-30
VIII Not Treat With rotsd.m

| IL no ground IOr QOuOC1ul
construction OF the meaning Of Presi-
dent Wilson's answer to the Pope's peace
proposals. In simple language and forcible
logic, the President drives directly to the
heart Of the subject voicing the oyerwhem-
ing sentiment Of the American people. who,
by anticipation, had OWNED what the re-
Spouse would be.
The President fatty rejects the proposal
to return to the status quo ante belium as
an impossible condition for bringing perma-
nent peace. The test of such peace he de-
fines in these words: lis 1t based upon the
faith OF all the peoples involved or merely
upon the word of an ambitious and intrigu-
ing government, on the one hand, and OF a
group Of free peoples on the other? This
is a ties. which goes to the root Of the mat
ter-and it is the test which must BIO ap-
Piled" Regarding this test. the President
minces no words In declaring: I'VE must
await some new evidence of the purposes Of
the great peoples of tho central powers" for
as now constituted, covenants into which
they might enter could be depended on
That the Presidents reply reflects the views
OF the entente allies and will be adopted
as their answer, is generally conceded. And
the answer spells the doom of Hohenzol-
lernism-for it can mean nothing less than
that the war will be prosecuted with increas-
ing vigor until the peoples of the central
powers themselves for peace on the
That there may be left no doubt In the
minds Of these peoples as to the conditions
they must meet. the President restates the
purposes for which America entered the war.
Make the world secure against war; no dis
memberment OF Germany or her allies. be-
yond necessary readjustments Of territorial
lines that nationality, rather than sover-
eighty. rule in the formation of government;
no economic trade war after the war
based on principles of justice and democracy
settlement of disputes by arbitration. instead
OF force. These purposes are foreign to the
aims for which the central powers a., fight
ing. Tyrannized by Germany, they are
wagng destructive war for world domino
ton. They prepared for such a war and
bided their own time to preciptate it. In
it's prosecution they have trampled under
foot sacred treaties; invaded peaceful coun-
tries, and perpetrated inhuman outrages
upon their civil populations; they have in
trigued with neutral governments and cor
rupted the peoples of enemy governments
filing every nation with spies and seeking
TO moroil countries at peace in war with
one another; they have fouted every national
right. and ignored International agreements
and established laws for the humane and
honora BILE conduct of war.
The Presidents rejection of the Pope's
proposals will profoundly impress the world
with the sincerity of his desire for peace
and the invulnerability of his position as to
the basis upon which 1t may be secured It
stands out in sharp contrast to Germany's
persistent refusal to name any definite terms
OF peace, showing her duplicity and craft
In all OF her approaches in that direction
In the high court OF world opinion, the Presi-
dent will stand justified in his insistence
that I'VE cannot take the word Of the present
rulers of Germany as guarantee of anything
that is to endure unless explicitly supported
by such conclusive evidence of the will and
purpose OF the German people themselves
as the other peoples of the world would be
justified in accepting"
Among the Presidents public papers, the
reply easily ranks as the most admirable in
Its brief compass OF expression and compact
ness OF thought. 1t has neither left any,
thing unsaid nor said too much