, 1917-08-23
Return All Captured Territory,
Let World Court Rule Nations,
Basis of Pontiff's Peace Plea.
ARBITRATE ALL DIFFERENCES
Benedict Beseeohes Warning Nations,
In Name Of Prince Of Peace, to
Cease Conflict and Save
Earth From Madness.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
To the Leaders of the BeIligerent
Peoples:
Since the beginning Of our pontifi-
cate, the horrors Of q terrible war let
loose on Europe, we have in view
above everything three things to pre-
serve:
Perfect impartiality towards all bel
ligerents as is suitable for Him who is
the common Father and loves His
children with equal affection.
Continually to attempt to do all the
good possible and that without excep-
ton Of person, without distinction Of
nationality or religion as is dictated
to us by the universal law of charity
which the supreme spiritual charge
has confided to us with Christ.
Finally, as our pacific mission also
requires, to omit nothing as long as it
wal in u power which might con-
tribute to hasten the end of this ca
lamity, by trying to lead the peoples
and their leaders to more moderate
resolution to hasten a serene delibera-
ton of a peace Just and durable.
Whoever has followed our work dur
ing those three painful years which
have Just passed has been able easily
to recognize that If we had always re-
NAMED faithful to our resolve of abso-
lutte impartiality and to our attitude
of b~enevolence, We have not ceased to
exhort the peoples and the belligerent
brothers to again become brethren, al
though publicity has not been given to
all that we have done to attain this
very noble aim.
Is World to Be Death FleIdf
Toward the end of the first year Of
the war, we addressed to the nations
i'll conflict most lively exhortations,
and more, we indicated the part to be
followed to arrive at a stable and hon
orable peace fol all. Unfortunately,
our appeal was not heard and the war
continued desperately for another two
years, with all it's horrors.
1t became eve more cruel, and ex.
tended over the earth, over the sea
and in the air, and one saw desolation
and death descend upon cities without
defense, upon peaceful villages and on
their innocent populations, and now
no one can imagine how the sufferings
of all would be increased and agra
waited If other months, or, worse still,
other years are about to be added to
this sanguinary triennium.
Is this civilized world to be nothing
more than a field of death? And Eu-
rope, SO glorious and so flourishing, is
it going, as if stricken by a universal
madness, to run to the abyss and to
lend its hand to its own suicide?
No Aim Except Love for World.
In such a terrible situation as in the
presence of menace so serious, we
who have no particular political aim,
who do not listen to suggestions or
to the interests of any of the bellig-
erent parties but are solely compelled
by a sentiment of our supreme duty
as the common father of the faithful,
by the solicitation of our children who
implore our Intervention and our pa
cifying work.
Through the voice even of humanity
and of reason we once more emit the
cry of peace and we renew a pressing
appeal to those who hold in their
hands the destinies of nations. But in
order no longer to speak in general
terms as the circumstances had
seled us in the past, we nov wish to
make more concrete and practical pro.
posals and to invite the governments
of the b%elligerent peoples to come to
an agreement upon the following
points which seem to be a basis of
a just and durable peace, leaving to
them the task of Analysing and COM
pleting them:
Moral Forces Against Armies.
First of all. the fundamental points
must be that the material force Of
arms be substituted by the moral
force of right, from which shall arise
a fair agreement by all for the sim
ultaneous and reciprocal diminution
of ornaments according to the rules
and guarantees to be established in a
measure necessary and sufficient for
the maintenance of prblic order In
each state.
Then, in the substitution for armies.
the institution of arbitration, with its
high pacifying function. according to
the rules to be laid down and the PEN
a..