Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-08-18

benedict XIV, believes MAY form
the basis of world peace, have been
forwarded to the rulers Of all nations.
The pope, in outlining these condi.
tlons, makes new and general appeal
for the restoration Of peace.
An unofficial outline which has been
received discloscs that the pontiff In
Guides In his suggestions principles for
which President Wilson, in the past,
has declared.
among the proposals are reduction
or ornaments, freedom Of the seas, and
that there shall be no rctaliatory strug
gle after the war for world commercial
supremacy. These are regarded as
tho foundation stones Of the pope's
plan.
The pope's proposal declares the in.
Jurfes to all bclligcrents have been so
great, there should be no thought of
reparat1on except for tho return of
territory.
unqualified approval Of President
WILSON'S plan to avoid future wars by
an international organization which
Shall have behind 1t power to enforce
Included In the restoration Of tor
rltory, the pope's proposal insists
should be the return to Germany of all
colonies, as we'll as the complete res.
toration Of Belgium to ber soyercipn.
ty.
Although special efforts are being
made to facilitate It's transmission 10
the United States, this may not be
erected for day or two.
Meanwhile, an accurate outline Of
the principal points Of the communica.
tion Is In the hands OF the government.
Already 1t has received thoughtful con.
sideration.
In eloquent language, the pontiff de.
scribes the terrible conditions existing
In Europe. Europe. he says, ia head.
ed Tor destruction unless tho bcllirer.
ents Will listen to the appeals of dis.
Interested friends to cease n suicidal
war.
Such conditions, the pope feels, am.
ply justify him In taking the present
opportunity to suggest what may be
no hopes at least foundation upon
which peace negotiations may be
started.
II is uncomfortable. the pope holds.
tnat permanent peace can be maintain.
ed unless the various peoples arc will.
ing to gather In an amity founded upon
recognition Of national rights.
ANY attempt to prevent FREQ econom.
fc election between the belligerents,
the pope points out, would DO disast.
rous. Therefore. he says, there must
be freedom of the seas in all that the
term implies.
In n spirit OF Cancellation and lust.
leo, he says. all the belligcrents. must
submit to accept the losses they have
sustained, except In the matter of ter.
fitory. Beside the questions of indem.
nifty and rcparation, tho pope says,
there must be no continuation of the
war by an economic struggle for SUI.
premacy thereafter, which would be
purely evil.
This refers directly to the so-called
Paris economic conference, which was
followed by one Vienna, where the
effort was made to bind the belliger.
ents on either side after the war to
have virtually no commercial relations
with their late enemies.
On the disposition Of occupied ter
ritory, and territorial ambitions of the
belligerents, the pope. by way of pref.
ace, admits special cases might Justify
special consideration and still be ad,
1Isted in conformity with the prin.
ciples of equity and justice.
AS general proposition, he feels a
proper basis for discussion would be
tho restoration at once of all territory
now In enemy occupation That would
involve liberation Of Belgium, leaving
not trace Of German control, political
or military. The same principle of un.
cncumbered freedom in its full sense, ;
no says, should prevail In regard to
every power and nation.
Not only must French territory now
occupied by German be restored to-
France, he says, but all German colo.
MES which have been occupied by
England, Portugal Belgium and Japrn
should be returned to Germany.
The moro difficult question of ITALIA
1rredenta. the pope thinks, should be
examined in spirit Of Cancellation.
and that special consideration should
be given to national aspirations.
y Likewise the pope holds that the
complex questions involved In read.
justmcnt Of the 1onkan states should|
be considered IN the same spirit of
equity and justice. lie hos especially
In mind Armenia, the B~!kans and
Poland.
Tho. intimation conveyed IS that
these questions can he dealt with by
direct diplomatic exchanges by the bel
Nrcronts, Gree an aarcemon' IS reich.
Cd mon the general PRINCIPLES of re.
coeni'inn Of national aspire tons andI
justice
The rrono~o'e. wh'ch ?l-c~Hy have
been delivered to TIC r~sid-nt ambas
sailors n"d "oi"ist"rs OF the warning
powers In Eoi&e. is quite long. They
make in print something more than a
column of large newspaper typo.
AT best, the popes proposals are
suggested only as rough basis FOR
1