Omaha daily bee., 1917-08-29
u S. REJECTS PEACE PLANS;
: UNABLE 20 TRUST KAISER
Woul Insight War Over Again if Peace
PAg6sals of Pope Were Accepted Now;
Can't Rely on Kaiser and His Advisers

Washington, Aug. 2s.-President Wilson'S letter an
swerng Pope Benedets peace note sent to the pontf
today is as follows:
"To His Holiness Benedict XIV, Pope:
"In Acknowledgement of the communication of Your
Holiness to the beigerent peoples, dated August J.
1917 the president of the United States requests me
transmit the following reply:
Every heart that has not been blinded and hard
ened by this terrible must be touched by this
ing appeal of His Holiness, the pope, must feel the
dignity and force OF the humane and generous motives
which prompted it, and must ferventy wish that
might take the path of peace he persuasvely points
out But it would be folly to take it If II does not in
fact lead to the goal he proposes Our response must
be based upon the stern facts and upon nothing ese
1t is not 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 matter Of
sober judgment-judgment what will insure us
against it.
PROPOSES ANTE BELLuM STATUS QUO,
"His Holiness in substance proposes that we return
to the status quo ante belm and that then there be
general condonation disarmament, and concert of
nations based upon an acceptance OF the principle OF
and that the territorial claims of France and Italy,
the perpexing problems of the Balkan states and the
restitution of Poland be lett to such concilatory ad-
justments as may be possible in the new temper OF
such peace, due regard being paid to the aspirations
of the peoples whose political fortunes and affiliations
will be involved r.-'' -.
successfully carried out unless the restitution of the
status quo ante furnishes firm and satisfactory basis
for it. The object of this is to deliver the free
peoples of the world from the and the actual
power Of vast military establishment controlled by
irresponsible government which, having secretly
planned to dominate the world proceeded to carry
plan without regard either to the sacred obligations
of treaty or the long established practices and long
cherished principles of international action and honor;
which chose its time for war; delivered its blow
hercey and suddeny stopped at no barrier either of
law or of mercy; swept whole continent within the
tide OF blood-not the blood of soldiers only, but the
blood Of innocent and children also, and OF the
helpless poor; and now stands baked, but not de.
feated, the enemy of ffths of the world This
power not the German people. 1t is no business OF
ours how that great people under its control
submitted with temporary zest to the domination OF
its purposes but 1t s business to to it that his
tory Of the rest Of the world is longer left TO its
handling, ~','t'',.' MAT 's.1
MEANS HOSTILE COMBINATION.
-,s ITO deal with such power by way Of peace upon
the plan proposed BY His Holiness, the pope, would,
so far as we can see, involve recuperaton OF its
strength and renewal Of its policy; would make II
necessary to create permanent hostile combination
of nations against the German people, who its in.
struments; and would result in abandoning the new