The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-09-07
WILSON REJECTS
PEACE PROPOSALS
PEACE REMOTE TILL KAISER IS
CRUSHED, PRESIDENT TELLS
POPE BENEDICT.
World Must Be Freed From Menace
Of Military Machine Controlled by
irresponsible Government That
Stops at Nothing in Its Plots.

irresponsible Government That
Stops at Nothing in Its Plots.
| Washlngton.-Preside Wilson has
rejected the pope's peace proposals. In
d note dispatched August u, but not
made public until the following night,
the president says that while every
heart not blinded and hardened by the
terrible war must be touched by the
moving appeal of His Holiness, it
would be folly TO take the path Of
peace he points out If 1t does not in
fact lead TO the goal he proposes.
To deal with such a power as the
present rulers of Germany upon Pope
Benedict's plan, declares the president,
would involve recuperation of the
strength and renewal of the world
domination of that power, now baked
but not defeated, after sweeping
continent with the blood of innocent
women and children and the helpless
poor, as well as of soldiers.
Permanent peace must be based up
on the faith of all the peoples and
| upon justice and fairness and the
common rights Of mankind, he adds,
| land We cannot take the word of the
present rulers of Germany as a guar
! antee of anything that is to endure,
unless explicitly supported by such
conclusive evidence of the will and
purpose of the German people them
selves us the other peoples of the
world would be Justified in accept
Ing"
Text of the Note.
The text of the note follows:
august p, 1917.
ITO His Holiness, Benedictus XIV,
Pope.
I'm acknowledgement of the com
munication of Your Holiness to the
belligerent peoples, dated August l,
1917, the president of the United
States requests me to transmit the
following reply:
Every heart that has not been
blinded and hardened by this terrible
war must be touched by this moving
appeal of His Holiness, the pope;
must feel the dignity and force of the |
humane and generous motives which |
prompted it, and must fervently wish |
that he might take the path of peace |
he so persuasively points out But it |
would be folly to take it If it does not |
In fact lead to the goal he proposes. |
Our response must be based upon the
stern facts and upon nothing else. 1t
Is not n mere cessation of arms he
desires; it is stable and enduring
peace. This agony must not be gone
through with again and it must be
a matter of very sober judgment what
will insure us against It,
Substance of Plan.
His Holiness, in substance, proposes
that we return to the status quo ante
bellum and that then there be a gem
eral conformation, disarmament and
of nations, based upon an ac-
ceptance of the principle of arbitra-
ton; that by a similar concert free
dom of the seas be established: and
that the territorial claims of France
and Italy, the perpIexing problems of
The Balkan states and the restitution
)f Poland be left to such conciliatory
adjustments as may be possible in
he new temper of such peace. due
regard being paid to the aspirations |
If the peoples whose political fortunes
md affiliations will be involved. /
1T is manifest that no part of this
program can be successfully carried
'ut unless the restitution of the
'tatuS quo furnishes firm and salts
actory basis for 1t. The object of !
his war is to deliver the free peo-
lies of the world from the menace
md the actual power of a vast mill
airy establishment controlled by an I
responsible government which. hay u
ng secretly planned to dominate the Il
world, proceeded to carry the plon | .
ut without regard either to the sacred II
ohgauonS of treaty or the loug-es- d
practices and long-cherished c
of International action and 4
onor; which chose its own time for n
NE war; delivered its blow fiercely G
nd suddenly; stopped at no barrier
ither of law or of mercy; swept Il
hole continent within the tide of
lood-not the blood of soldiers only O
Ut the blood of innocent women and .
hlIdren also, and Of the helpless \
oor-and now stands baked. but NOT d
efeated, the enemy of four-flfths of Z,
he world. -,
Must Protect the World. Il
This power is not the German neo- n
lie. 1t is no business of ours how
nat great people came under its con-
'o' or submitted with temporary rest
the domination of its purpose: but 5
is our business to see 10 II thar tho II
iStory Of the rest ~ the world Is no II
niger left to its handling. il
To deal with such power bv wpv T