New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-15
Terms Probably
Will Be Rejected
Entente Must Define
War Aims to Keep
Citizens in Arms
By c. w. Gilbert

| WASHINGTON. Aug. 14.-"Gentle-
men. you have wasted your time walt
ins for me; | shall not say word
about the Pope's note said Secretary
Lansing to the waiting newspaper cor
/ respondents to-day. His manner was
excited He had just returned from
a long Cabinet meeting, at which pre-
sumably the peace note was discussed.
His unusual emphasis on what he said
and the great unwillingness Of of1cials
to discuss the communication from the
j Vatican showed the seriousness with
which the move toward peace was re
garded. A difficult diplomatic task had
been laid before the Allies, and the
! President and mis- advisers fully real
I ized it.
The same unviliingness TO hazard
comment, even of the kind usually
given mot for publication was as OBJ
scrvable in Entente circles here as
among members of the Administration
Some minor attaches of the embassies
EXPRESSED the opinion that Germany had
! acted through Austria, one of the most
lovaI OF Catholic powers, to induce the
Pope TO undertake an enterprise cal
culated to aid the Central nations. One
such attache called the move an Aus
trian trick" In general there were signs
Of discontinue, and it was evident that
Germany. if Germany indeed inspired
the proposals, had taken shrewd diplo-
! matte step and one which will require
great skill and much consideration and
conference for the Allies TO meet.
Expect Terms To Be Rejected
There are few mere who dissent from
the opinion that as the final result OF
study and conferences the terms
supeested BY the Pope will be rejected.
II NAV well be that some Catholic
country will be chosen as the chief
Spokesman Of the Allies in replying 70
the Vatican; or perhaps France or
Belgium, because the Pope's proposals
ignore the huge material sufferings OF
those countries from Germsnys un-
provoked aggressions. In any event
Il seems necessary that this country
should reply, through President WIZ
son. the United States not being bound
by any treaty TO the other foes Of the
Central Powers. And it is probable
that all OF the Allies will reply in
dividually. Coming from the head OF
great Church with millions OF com
municants in all the warring nations,
il is hardly necessary 70 say that the
proposals will be treated with great
question to the Allies.
Proposals Serve German Ends
Whether the Vatican acted at the
solicitation Of Austria or not, the pro-
posals serve the ends of Germany diplo-
matically. The diyisve force of the
no annexations. no indemnities" pro-
gramme-and il is this in substance
that the Pope advocates-has been
recognized from the moment that it
first was heard in Petrograd; in fact,
Il at once dissociated the new Russian
republic from some Of the main ends
of it's allies in arms. Ii was proposed
that the Entente Powers make diplo-
matte move toward victory by adopting
this Russian programme, and thus, by
assuring the physical integrity of the
Central Powers, ALLEVIATE the war-weary
radicals of Germany from the support
of the war party. Germany, II this
move is of German inspiration, has
adopted these tactics itself and aims
them at the radicals of the Entente
nations. Or the Pope, if these pro-
posals came solely on his motion, is
trying to widen the peace movement in
ali nations by giving it one common
ground and assurance and TO asso-
ciate it with his followers in the
Catholic Church.
Aims Must Be Defined
The difficulty which the proposals
present 70 the Allied nations Is def
milton of their aims upon which they
can hold their peoples together in this :
war, If Germany accepts the Pope's I
terms and is ready to return to the (
status quo ante On the other hand,
by rejecting these terms, the Allies :
stand in danger of tying Austria tight 7
TO Germany for Austria has more TO (
fear than any other power from terri /
torial changes, and of checking the /
rising discomfort of the German radi- /
Gals. who may be kept ain support of .
the war party If they may be made to !
feel that their own country's integrity ,
is threatened.
Germany made its last peace pro-
posals in order TO establish a basis in F.
their rejection for an unlimited and
ruthless submarine campaign. pub
lie sentiment against bringing the
United States into the war had to be
reckoned with. II was met by dem.
onstration that the enemies of Ger
many were bent on her destruction, and
the conclusion was there was no other
way but the U-boat. These new pro-
posals are not made b. Germany, but
they will serye her ends; il accepted,
by giving her a favorable peace; il re-
jected. by forcing Austria into her
arms and quieting the German radicals
and Catholics. while also, If the diplo-
mats of the Allied Powers are not wise,
serving to further the radical peace
sentiment among the enemies Of Ger
many.
II is for these reasons that Wash
ington takes the Vatican proposals with
great seriousness While peace is not
expected. a definition of terms that will
narrow the field Of contention is almost