The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-09-01
white Peace PROPOSAL
international Meeting Has Just Been
Held in Paris-coneress Shows
That Italian Masons Are Masons
First and Italians Afterward if They
Have the Time-Ernesto Nathan
Comes Again Into the Limelight.

date of August 20 carries the infor-
nation that the Masons of Italy,
France, Belgium, Portugal, Serbia and
some of the European Neutrals at a
meeting in Paris adopted what are
known as "The White Peace Propos-
als," so called from the color of the
movements flag in contradistinction
to the "black" proposals of the Vati-
can, and the "red" of the Socialists.
The grand lodges of England, Ire
land and Scotland were not repre-
sented because they refrain from all
political questions, both national and
international.
The Paris meeting formed an or
ganization known as the Society of
Nations with an international parlia-
ment charged with the duty of solving
conflicts between countries on the
basis of autonomy and independence
of nations and solidarity among peo-
pies. The Paris Temps stated the
terms as follows:
First-The return of Alsace and
Lorraine to France; second, the recon-
stitution by reunion of the three frag-
ments of Poland-Russian, Prussian
and Austrian-into an independent ma
ton; third, the independence of 3D.
hemia; fourth, the liberation and uni
fication of all nationalities today op.
pressed by the political and admins
trative organization of the Hapsburg
Empire in it's various dominions
which declared themselves in favor of
such course by plebiscite.
Italian delegates pleaded for more
explicit terms regarding the Trentino,
but they were overruled. An immedi-
ate dispute arose, and certain sections
of the Italian press condemned the
terms. Signor Ettaro Farrari, for
years the grand master of the Grand
Orient of" Italy, resigned, but recon
sidered when Andre LOBBY, the French
deputy who drafted the terms, ex.
planned further just what he consid
cred the terms covered. 49,
Continental freemasonry is unusual
ly strong and politically active. The
present movement is considered high
Iy significant. Its activities are car
ried on quietly, but none the less eff
fectively.
aloof, hold to the precedent of the
last two centuries, though just be-
fore the outbreak of the war they
entertained the highest German Ma
sonic officers, and the flags of the two
countries were entwined at all meet
ing places.
Freemasonry works best in the
dark. That has been written often,
and has often been proved to be true.
1t is not a thing which gains by COM
ing out into the open and telling peo-
ple-its objects and methods. 1t worked
in the dark for years while Nathan
was preparing his position in Rome !;
when he thought himself lord of the
Eternal City, masonry, which had
backed him, came out and boosted. In
the Exposition manifestos of 1911 it
proclaimed to the world it's object; the
destruction of the Papacy. It printed
posters to this effect and stuck them
on the walls of Rome and world read
them. Then followed the Libyan war
and certain events caused discussion
in the senate and the definite pro.
nouncement by the ministers respons
ible for the army and navy that mem
bership in secret society was not
compatible with position in either OF
the two services. Not long after
wards came Nathan's fate, and one
seems to remember that his subse
quent Panama progress through the
United States was not exactly trium
plant. Then a general election in
Italy threw many Of his anti Catholic
friends OF their perches-and free
masonry retired again to work in sec
ret.
Freemasonry has tried to make cap
ital out of this world-war. It hat
even proclaimed that the war is beint
waged by the Allies to uphold masonic
principles-nay, even that 1t was thu
masons who led their respective ma